A Tale of Two Bills: The Labor-HHS-Education and Defense Appropriations Bills


 

Publication Date: November 2007

Publisher: Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (Washington, D.C.)

Author(s): Richard Kogan

Research Area: Banking and finance

Keywords: Economic projections; Fiscal future; Federal budget

Type: Report

Abstract:

The Administration says the funding Congress provides in the Labor-HHS-Education bill is “irresponsible” and “excessive” and has sought to portray it as part of a congressional plan that constitutes “runaway spending.”  This short analysis finds these claims to be misleading or inaccurate.  In contrast, the Administration’s main complaint about Defense funding is that the large increase Congress provides is not large enough.