House Appropriations Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Subcommittee Approves FY 2007 Spending Bill; Bill Would Provide Significant Increase to Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant, and Smaller Increases and Cuts for Alcohol and Drug Prevention, Treatment and Research  Programming

On June 7th, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education approved its FY 2007 spending bill.  The bill, which overall represents a small increase over last year's funding levels, would provide both increases and cuts to drug and alcohol prevention and treatment programs in the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), with the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant receiving a significant increase in funding.  The addiction research institutes would both receive small funding cuts.  The spending bill would also restore most of the funds to the Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities State Grants program slated for elimination in the President's FY 2007 budget.

Under the spending bill, the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment (SAPT) Block Grant would receive $1.834 billion, a $75.4 million increase over both FY 2006 funding and the President's budget request.  The Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) would receive $326.7 million, representing a $72.2 million cut from last year's funding and nearly $48 million less than the President's budget request.  The funding proposed within CSAT for the Voucher Incentive Program in the President's FY 2007 budget would be allocated to the SAPT Block Grant, as referenced above.  The Administration's proposed Methamphetamine Voucher program would receive $25 million through CSAT's Targeted Capacity Expansion portfolio; however, although vouchers would be allowable, they would not be the required funding mechanism for the program. 

The Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) would receive $195.8 million, a $3 million increase over FY 2006 funding, but $15.2 million more than the President's budget request.  Despite being slated for elimination in the President's budget, the Committee did approve $310 million for the Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities State Grants program, $36.5 million less than last year's funding.  

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) both would receive modest decreases under the spending bill.  NIDA would receive $995 million, a $5 million cut from last year, which is equal to the President's budget request.  NIAAA would receive $433 million, also equivalent to the President's budget request, a $2.6 million cut from last year's funding.

The full House Appropriations Committee is expected to mark-up the funding bill next week, with a House floor vote on the bill expected the following week.  The Senate is expected to begin their consideration of the Labor, Health and Human Services and Education funding bill after the July 4^th recess.  Additional details about the Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations bill can be found at: http://appropriations.house.gov/.

Overview of Drug and Alcohol Treatment, Prevention,

Education and Research Funding