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 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 (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 levels. All told, the FY2012 Budget requested $756 billion for mandatory and discretionary L-HHS-ED accounts. 

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.

On September 29, 2011, Congress presented H.R. 2017 to the President for his signature. The bill is a short-term CR that provides government-wide appropriations through October 4. Also on September 29, the House introduced its FY2012 L-HHS-ED bill (H.R. 3070). On September 21, the Senate Appropriations Committee reported its FY2012 L-HHS-ED bill (S. 1599, S.Rept. 112- 84). The majority of this report has not yet been updated to reflect these most recent actions.


Date of Report: September 30, 2011
Number of Pages: 44
Order Number: R42010
Price: $29.95

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