March 29, 2006

Update: House Budget Committee Deliberations

The House Budget Committee is expected to mark-up its version of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2007 budget resolution today. Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) is expected to offer an amendment, identical to the successful Specter-Harkin amendment to the Senate-passed budget resolution, which would increase the overall spending cap for education, employment and training, and social services to restore funding for these programs at FY 2005 levels. Passing the DeLauro Amendment would give House Appropriators the ability to increase funds for education, employment and training, and social services programs. The Senate has already committed to increasing these budget caps in its recently passed resolution. However, House leadership rules make it unlikely that an amendment similar to the Specter-Harkin amendment will be successful.

STAY TUNED: Rep. Michael Castle (R-DE) has indicated that he may lead a fight to defeat the fiscal 2007 budget resolution unless the House leadership adds billions in spending for domestic programs. Castle is among twenty-three GOP moderates led by Rep. Nancy Johnson (R-CT), who sent a letter two weeks ago to House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-IL) seeking a 2% increase in domestic spending.

NAWB MEMBER ACTION: In light of Rep. Castle’s potential action to raise the health and education program budget caps through a floor amendment when the House takes up the budget resolution next week, it is important that all Republican Members of the House hear from private-sector members of WIBs this week about the impact of deep cuts in workforce investment programs at the local level and how that will affect your community's ability to help employers find the workers they need.

KEY MESSAGE: While this under-funded domestic budget is requiring difficult choices, there is nothing more important to our economic strength and global competitiveness than investing in a skilled workforce. Employment and training investments have already been cut over $1 billion since 2001. These investments must not be cut again; it is not in American employers’ best interests. Support efforts to raise the budget caps for health, education, and workforce training programs!

For a list of the Members of the House Budget Committee, click here. For NAWB's Budget Resolution talking points, click here.

To find the email address or location of your Senators' or Representatives' District Office, go to NAWB's Cap-Wiz tool on the website at http://www.capwiz.com/nawb/dbq/officials/.

If you have any comments or questions, contact NAWB CEO Stephanie Powers at: powerss@nawb.org

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