107th Congress

FY 2002 Appropriations on Budget Priorities -- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services -- House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, HHS, and Education -- April 25, 2001

Members Present

Senators Arlen Specter (R-PA), Chairman, Tom Harkin (D-IA), Ranking Member, Herbert Kohl (D-WI), Patty Murray (D-WA), Mary Landrieu (D-LA), and Ted Stevens (R-AK).

Witness

Tommy Thompson, Secretary of Health and Human Services.

Opening Statements

Senator Specter praised Secretary Thompson for his leadership at DHHS. Senator Harkin indicated that he was pleased to see that NIH and the DHHS-funded community health centers' programs received significant increases in the President's Budget. However he was disappointed about cuts in Head Start funding and early learning programs. Senator Stevens was concerned about the commitment to the doubling of the NIH budget. He indicated that it is imperative for NIH to complete scientific research so that the nation will be prepared to address health problems of the aging population.

Testimony: Secretary Thompson praised the research activities at NIH and discussed the need to consolidate and build new research facilities at CDC. The Secretary also testified that the FY 2002 DHHS budget includes an expanded focus on women's health.

Questions

Chairman Spector:

Senator Specter questioned Secretary Thompson about discrepancies in the amount of funding that CDC says it needs for B&F and the amount that is included in the President's Budget. Secretary Thompson responded that funding will be needed on an ongoing basis for several years to come.

Senator Specter expressed his support for embryonic stem cell research. He asked the Secretary about his plans for handling the current controversies surrounding stem cell research. Secretary Thompson said that the DHHS General Counsel is currently evaluating the legal opinion that allowed the NIH to pursue stem cell research activities. He also indicated that NIH is in the process of "conducting a scientific review" of stem cell research. AccORDing to the Secretary, the General Counsel's opinion and the NIH scientific review will be submitted to him in early June. The Secretary told the Subcommittee that NIH is currently reviewing two applications that were submitted for this research. Even though the DHHS General Counsel legal opinion will not be issued until June, Secretary Thompson assured Senator Specter that it will still be possible for NIH to fund stem cell research applications next year.

Senator Harkin:

Senator Harkin urged Secretary Thompson to pursue efforts to give the FDA the authority to regulate tobacco. He asked the Secretary for his views about FDA tobacco regulation. Secretary Thompson responded that it is up to Congress to pass legislation that would give the FDA the authority to regulate tobacco.

Senator Murray:

Senator Murray expressed concern about the nation's nursing shortage and asked the Secretary if he would be willing to adjust education credit requirements enacted under welfare reform. AccORDing to Senator Murray, this adjustment would help to attract more people into the nursing profession. Secretary Thompson said that welfare reform did not cause the nursing shortage, but that he would be willing to discuss this further with Senator Murray. The Secretary also said that he would encourage immigration avenues as a method for addressing the nursing shortage.

Senator Murray also asked about the DHHS budget cuts related to child care (particularly for younger children). Secretary Thompson responded that the child care budget was not cut, rather, money was earmarked for after school care programs for older children.

Senator Landrieu:

Senator Landrieu expressed concerns about the nursing shortage, child care, foster care, and adoption. The Secretary pledged to work with her on these issues.

Chairman Specter:

Chairman Specter asked the Secretary about a DHHS youth violence program that has been funded for the past few years. The Secretary said that a coordinated effort is necessary and he asked Senator Specter for his assistance in this endeavor. Senator Specter also asked the Secretary how faith based initiatives could be funded without violating the separation between church and state. Secretary Thompson said that effective monitoring of faith-based initiatives would prevent such violations. He cited the Head Start program as an example of a program that provides funding to faith-based groups without violating the separation between church and state.

Senator Specter told the Secretary that he has received some research findings related to stress relief and meditation from Dr. Herbert Bentsen of the Mind-Body Institute. Senator Specter indicated that he would send these findings to the Secretary for his consideration.

Senator Harkin:

Senator Harkin (on behalf of Senator Byrd, who was not present) asked why the Administration is cutting funding for CDC nutrition and obesity programs at a time when obesity rates are significantly increasing. The Secretary pledged to make prevention a "real cause" for DHHS. He indicated that DHHS is developing a prevention initiative that will be rolled out sometime this year.

Senator Harkin said that he is concerned about the school lunch program and the availability of vending machines in schools. He encouraged the Secretary to take actions to improve nutrition programs that are under the jurisdiction of DHHS.

Chairman Specter:

Chairman Specter asked what DHHS plans to do about funding for family planning and abstinence education. Secretary Thompson said that the President supports equal funding for family planning and abstinence education; however, abstinence programs are currently underfunded relative to family planning programs.

Senator Kohl:

Senator Kohl said that he plans to introduce legislation to improve child support programs. Secretary Thompson said that he would support the Senator's proposal. Senator Kohl also asked why funding for nursing home inspections was flatlined in the President's Budget. The Secretary said that the regulations concerning these inspections are being reviewed. Senator Kohl asked about HCFA's regulations with respect to "single task workers" in nursing homes. Secretary Thompson said that he would be willing to support a demonstration project in order to examine this issue.

Prepared by OLPA