 |
 |
With all the attention given in the media to impeachment, it's rare to see news on the Labor / Health and Human Services / Education appropriations bill, which contains funding for NIH. Here's what I found. The House will bring its version of the bill to the floor for debate and voting this week, according to the Congressional Record Digest dated 10/2. The way was cleared by a vote last Wednesday on a rule under which debate will proceed. The Senate version, on which the respective Senate appropriations committee completed its work some time ago, is still not scheduled for floor action. After a Senate vote, then differences between the two versions will have to be resolved by a joint House-Senate conference. So far only 4 of the 13 general appropriations bills which fund government operations for fiscal 1999 (which began October 1) have been passed by Congress. Government funding has been extended for one week beyond fiscal 1998 by emergency legislation, and could be further extended. It appears this session of Congress is headed for a slam-bang finish. You may check http://congress.org/congsced.html for the current day's legislative schedule and http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/aces/digest001.shtml for a summary of the preceding day's activity. Phil Tompkins Hoboken NJ