Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education: FY2012 Appropriations

Karen E. Lynch, Coordinator
Analyst in Social Policy

David H. Bradley
Analyst in Labor Economics

Gerald Mayer
Analyst in Labor Policy

Gail McCallion
Specialist in Social Policy

Pamela W. Smith
Analyst in Biomedical Policy

This report provides an overview of actions taken by Congress to provide FY2012 appropriations for the accounts funded by the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (L-HHS-ED) appropriations bill. The L-HHS-ED bill provides funding for all accounts subject to the annual appropriations process at the Departments of Labor and Education. It provides annual appropriations for most agencies within the Department of Health and Human Services, with certain exceptions (e.g., the Food and Drug Administration is funded via the Agriculture appropriations bill; the Indian Health Service and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry are both funded via the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bill). The L-HHS-ED bill also provides funding for more than a dozen related agencies, including the Social Security Administration. The bill includes discretionary and mandatory funding, but this report focuses primarily on discretionary funding.

In FY2011, annual L-HHS-ED appropriations were funded by a series of continuing resolutions. On April 15, 2011, President Obama signed into law the eighth—and final—continuing resolution (CR) for FY2011, the Department of Defense and Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011 (P.L. 112-10). The final FY2011 CR provided $165 billion in discretionary funding for accounts traditionally funded by the L-HHS-ED bill. In addition, the bill provided $559 billion in mandatory funding for L-HHS-ED accounts, for a total of $724 billion.

The Obama Administration released the FY2012 President’s Budget on February 14, 2011. The President’s Budget requested $179 billion in discretionary funding for accounts traditionally funded by the L-HHS-ED bill. This reflects an increase of 8% compared to the $165 billion provided in the final FY2011 CR. In addition, the President’s Budget requested mandatory funding of $577 billion to sustain mandatory programs at their current law (or current services) level of operations. All told, the FY2012 Budget requested $756 billion for mandatory and discretionary L-HHS-ED accounts subject to the annual appropriations process. The House and Senate have yet to take action on a FY2012 L-HHS-ED bill. 

Department of Labor (DOL): The Administration requested $12.8 billion in discretionary funding for DOL programs in FY2012. This request reflects a proposed increase of roughly 1% from the level of discretionary DOL funding provided in the final FY2011 CR, $12.7 billion. 

Department of Health and Human Services (HHS): The Administration requested $73.1 billion in FY2012 discretionary funding for HHS programs traditionally included in the L-HHSED appropriations legislation. This request reflects a proposed increase of roughly 4% from the level of discretionary HHS funding provided in the final FY2011 CR, $70.4 billion. 

Department of Education (ED): The Administration requested $77.4 billion in discretionary funding for ED programs in FY2012. This request reflects a proposed increase of roughly 13% from the level of discretionary ED funding provided in the final FY2011 CR, $68.3 billion. 

Related Agencies: The Administration requested $15.2 billion in FY2012 discretionary funding for related agencies generally included in L-HHS-ED appropriations. This request reflects a proposed increase of roughly 10% from the level of discretionary funding provided to these related agencies in the final FY2011 CR, $13.8 billion.


Date of Report: September 20, 2011
Number of Pages: 43
Order Number: R42010
Price: $29.95

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