Arlen Specter: “the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education bill before the Senate today contains a program level of $104.5…”

“the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education bill before the Senate today contains a program level of $104.5 billion, an increase of $7.9 billion or 8.2 percent over the fiscal year 2000 program level. This program level was achieved by savings in the following areas: The temporary assistance to needy families, supplemental security income, and the State children's health insurance programs. Further, savings were also achieved by advance funding an additional $2.3 billion of education dollars into fiscal year 2002, while keeping the same overall level of advances as last year. The actual budget authority in the bill is $97.35 billion, the full amount of the subcommittee's allocation under section 302(b) of the Budget Act. Given the subcommittee's allocation there were inadequate resources to sufficiently fund important health, education and training programs. Therefore savings needed to be found in order to expand these high priority discretionary programs. For example, savings were achieved by shifting $1.9 billion in unspent fiscal year 1998 State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) funds into fiscal year 2003. Currently 38 States and the District of Columbia have not spent their SCHIP funds which are due to expire on September 30, 2000. By reappropriating funds, these 38 States and the District of Columbia will have an opportunity to spend these dollars in future years.”