Rep. Robert Aderholt, in his first year as chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health & Human Services, and Education, introduced the FY2024 funding bill — alongside a proposal to trim nearly 30% of its spending impact — which he describes as, “reckless, D.C. beltway spending.”
The bill, commonly referred to as Labor-H, accounts for the largest non-defense discretionary spending sector in the federal budget. It includes funding mechanisms for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“In this bill, we are cutting almost 30% and will bring funding back to roughly 2018 Trump-era levels,” Aderholt (R-Haleyville) told Congress.
“These cuts trim the fat and force these government agencies to run lean and mean. There will still be plenty of money for these departments and agencies to do their critical jobs, but do it more efficiently.”
RELATED: Aderholt leads new charge against Planned Parenthood’s federal funding
With the nation grappling with high inflation, Aderholt says his fiscally conservative approach is driven by the idea that “inflation is a tax on every single American” as a consequence of the “out of control spending spree that we’ve seen over the past two years.”
The bill proposes a $60 billion cut to social spending programs, requiring what Aderholt calls “scrutiny and priority setting.” More than 50 programs are slated for reduction, and another 60 are to be eliminated, most of which are either unauthorized or have expired authorizations.
Aderholt specifically mentioned a substantial cut in Title One grants to states, amounting to nearly 80%, a move he justifies by pointing out that these funds “disproportionately support big city public schools.”
Beyond educational funding, Aderholt wants to prohibit funding for programs focused solely on diversity, equity, and inclusion and eliminate federal funding for Planned Parenthood altogether.
“It also protects religious freedom and values by stopping the administration’s regulations that would require schools to allow biological boys to compete against girls and women’s sports programs and prohibiting any federal funding from going toward and forcing gender identity politics or social, hormonal or surgical interventions to look like the opposite sex,” Aderholt said.
“The bill prohibits funding for controversial ideologies like critical race theory. These radical views do not belong in the public schools. Schools should be teaching our children how to think, not what to think.”
Aderholt noted funding for critical areas that serve educational opportunities for young Americans will be preserved.
“The bill also maintains support for Pell grants and language to ensure borrowers can quickly resume payments of their student loans following the recent Supreme Court decision. Other programs for certain vulnerable populations such as Americans with disabilities, older Americans and foster children are maintained at current levels,” Aderholt said.
“Child Care block grants, which provide vouchers for families to choose childcare settings of their choice, are maintained at $8 billion.”
Grayson Everett is the state and political editor for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @Grayson270
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