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 ... from the AFSCME Legislative Report

Senate Passes Labor-HHS-Education Spending Bill; AFSCME members' calls key to gaining more support

Oct. 30, 2007 - Despite President Bush's threatened veto, the Senate, with strong bipartisan support, approved the FY 2008 Labor-Health and Human Services-Education (Labor-HHS) spending bill (H.R. 3043) by a vote of 75-19.

Twenty-seven Republicans joined all Democrats in support.

The margin of victory would have been even greater had five absent Democrats been there to vote. Two-thirds of those present and voting are needed to override a Presidential veto.

The legislation includes a five percent increase in spending over FY 2007, $9.6 billion more than the President's budget request but $1.9 billion less than the House-passed version, approved in July.

House and Senate leaders hope to send a conference agreement compromise bill to President Bush in early November.

If it is vetoed as expected, the House will again vote first to override the veto, followed by the Senate.

As part of our overall effort to generate support for the Labor-HHS-Education bill, AFSCME child care advocates e-mailed over 1,000 letters and generated over 500 phone calls urging Congress to support the $75 million increase in the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) in the House bill.

These letters and phone calls were key to getting 69 Representatives to sign a letter led by Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) urging conferees to maintain the $75 million increase in the final bill.