Congress Approves FY 2005 Funding Bill

Working late into the night on Saturday, November 20, the House and Senate approved a spending package for fiscal year (FY) 2005, rolling $388 billion across 13 federal departments into one omnibus appropriations bill. The omnibus bill includes FY 2005 spending legislation for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) agencies. The bill will provide NIH with $28.6 billion, an $800 million or 2.9 percent increase over FY 2004.

Late last week, the White House threatened to veto the entire omnibus package if Congress did not adhere to a strict spending cap of 1 percent over last year’s budget. After the bill was finalized, Congressional leaders maintained that they stayed within the tight constraints imposed by the White House.

Within NIH, the package includes: $4.86 billion for the National Cancer Institute, a $130 million or 2.7 percent increase; $2.96 billion for the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, an $86 million or 2.9 percent boost; $1.72 billion for the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, $54.3 million or 3.25 percent increase; and $1.06 billion for the National Institute on Aging, a $31 million or 3.0 percent boost.

ASH was successful in encouraging Congress to include funding for the Sickle Cell Treatment Act in the omnibus legislation. Report language accompanying the spending bill directs the Health Resources and Services Administration to provide $200,000 to establish a sickle cell demonstration program and National Coordinating Center. The Society was the primary advocate for this report language.

In addition, the report includes language relating to the proposed NIH policy on “open access.” The report language indicates the Appropriations Committees’ interest in becoming more involved with the proposal, understanding the potential cost implications, and interest in seeing the involvement of scientific journal publishers in the process. As a result, ASH believes NIH will need to take time to review comments before implementing a new policy. ASH’s comments to NIH on open access are available online.

Due to a procedural error over the weekend, the House will have to reconvene next week to approve the same package as was passed by the Senate. Before leaving Washington, DC, this weekend, both the House and Senate approved a continuing resolution (CR) that funds the federal government at FY 2004 levels until December 3, 2004. Policymakers expect that Congress will finalize and President Bush will sign the omnibus appropriations package in early December.

If you have questions, or need more information, please contact Jeff Coughlin, ASH Government Affairs Manager, at (202) 776-0544.