The Senate is now considering a Conference Report (H.R. 3043) which combines two bills making appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health & Human Services, Education and Veterans Affairs. The Veterans Affairs bill was passed separately as H.R. 2642. A Conference Report is the final negotiated version of a bill by the House and Senate.
It is expected that a point of order will be raised by Senator Hutchison (R-TX) calling for the Military Construction / Veterans Affairs Appropriations Bill (H.R. 2642) to be removed from the Conference Report. President Bush has stated that he will veto H.R. 3043 in its current form with the two bills combined together.
C-SPAN reports that the Labor, Health & Human Services and Education Appropriations Bill provides for a $61 billion dollar increase in total funding which is $10 billion dollars above the President’s request. The Military Construction / Veterans Affairs Appropriations Bill provides for an $18 billion dollar increase in total funding which is $4 billion dollars above the President’s request.
