January 28, 1976
Page 1318
Mr. MUSKIE. Mr. President, the Senate today will vote on whether to override the President's veto of H.R. 8069, the Labor, Health, Education and Welfare Appropriation Bill for 1976, which recommends $36.1 billion in budget authority and estimated outlays of $28.5 billion for fiscal year 1976.
Passage of this bill was assumed in the second concurrent budget resolution. H.R. 8069 funds programs found in six functional categories of the budget: Community and regional development; education, manpower and social services; health; income security; veterans benefits and services; and law enforcement and justice. Four of these functional categories are clearly under their target levels and would remain so with passage of this bill. Two of the categories, however, are threatened with spending beyond their targets, although not necessarily by this bill. Let me provide you with details.
First, the four categories that are clearly safe at this time. For community and regional development the budget authority amount in this bill is $.6 billion, and the outlay amount is $.5 billion. Even with enactment of this bill, the category will remain $4 billion below target in budget authority and $1 billion below target in outlays. If my colleagues will turn to page 31 of the Senate Budget Committee scorekeeping report for January 26, 1976, they will be able to see this remainder listed under "current status."
For education, manpower and social services the Labor-HEW appropriation bill contains $6.8 billion in budget authority and $5 billion in outlays. If my colleagues will turn to page 33 of the scorekeeping report they will see that this is compatible with the target for this function, and, in fact, leaves a margin of $2.8 billion in budget authority and $1.3 billion in outlays.
The bill before us contains $16 million in budget authority and $15 million in outlays for veterans' benefits and services. Page 41 of the scorekeeping report shows a margin remaining in this function after enactment of this bill.
H.R. 8069 contains $25 million in budget authority and $22 million in outlays in the law enforcement and justice function. Page 43. of the scorekeeping report shows that, once again, a margin will remain with passage of this bill.
In two functional categories, income security and health, there are some threats of overspending, though not necessarily by this bill.
Let us consider health first. The Labor-HEW bill would commit $15.4 billion in budget authority and $11.2 billion in outlays in health. The scorekeeping report includes $.8 billion in both budget authority and outlays in fiscal year 1976 for the pending health benefits for the unemployed legislation. So far, this has not been enacted. If these amounts are deleted from that spent so far, $.3 billion in budget authority and $.1 billion in outlays would remain, even after enactment of H.R. 8069. The budget summary for this function can be seen on page 35 of the scorekeeping report.
In the income security function this bill would spend $13.2 billion in budget authority and $11.7 billion in outlays. If my colleagues will turn to page 39 of the scorekeeping report they can follow me as I discuss the budget status of this function. In the second concurrent resolution on the budget it was assumed that food stamp legislation would save $0.1 billion in fiscal year 1976. This has not yet happened. In addition, $0.7 billion in anticipated Presidential spending requests in this function have not yet been reported in the Senate. At this time, then, the dollar amounts contained in H.R. 8069 would not push beyond the target in this function. However, the possibility remains for overspending in this function before the fiscal year is over. Much of the spending in this function is required by law and is the result of the current recession. If present estimates of spending needs in this function prove to be low, and further spending is mandated, we either will have to tighten the spending reins of those programs that are controllable, or amend the budget resolution.
I intend to vote in the affirmative, to override the President's veto. It is in agreement with the priorities established by Congress in our own budget process.
When the country is told by the President that a bill such as this exceeds the budget, Congress and the country should always bear in mind that the President is speaking of his budget. The congressional budget, as we demonstrated over the past few months, represents a different set of priorities. The result of the two budgets, in terms of deficit, is virtually the same for this fiscal year, but the priorities under it are different. This bill is a reflection of congressional priorities which are different in a significant way from those of the President.
The second point I wish to make is this: We have adopted a second concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 1976, but there are still 6 months left in this fiscal year. As we approach the end of fiscal year 1976 the margins left in the various functions are going to close. Our options are going to become tighter and tighter. I have advised the Senate on where we stand if this bill is enacted, and we are going to have to continue to look much more closely upon the options and the margins that are left to us.
Mr. BROOKE. Mr. President, will the Senator yield?
Mr. MUSKIE. I yield.
Mr. BROOKE. Mr. President, I am very pleased that the distinguished chairman of the Senate Budget Committee has explained that when the administration says that we are over the budget, we are talking about the administration's budget; that it reflects the administration's priorities and not our priorities, and that they conceivably and understandably could be quite different.
Can the distinguished chairman inform us again as to how our bill for $36 billion plus compares both as to budget authority and outlays with the congressional budget?
Mr. MUSKIE. Overall, with respect to the six functions that are covered by the bill, we are under the overall total.
Mr. BROOKE. We are under the overall total?
Mr. MUSKIE. Yes.
Mr. BROOKE. Both in outlays
Mr. MUSKIE. And budget authority.
With respect to a single function, that is more difficult to evaluate, because there are pending bills that will affect these individual functions. We have to make guesses as to what is coming down the pike. Four of the six functions affected by this bill are clearly under the congressional assumptions, and they, too, are going to be tight from now on. But we are still under at this point.