	Introduction

This report provides an overview of FY2015 appropriations actions for accounts traditionally funded in the appropriations bill for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies (L-HHS-ED). The L-HHS-ED bill provides appropriations for the following federal departments and agencies:
the Department of Labor; the majority of the Department of Health and Human Services, except for the Food and Drug Administration (provided in the Agriculture appropriations bill), the Indian Health Service (provided in the Interior-Environment appropriations bill), and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (also funded through the Interior-Environment appropriations bill); the Department of Education; and more than a dozen related agencies, including the Social Security Administration, the Corporation for National and Community Service, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the National Labor Relations Board, and the Railroad Retirement Board. FY2015 Omnibus Appropriations

On December 16, 2014, President Obama signed into law the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015 (P.L. 113-235). The enacted law provided regular, full-year appropriations for 11 of the 12 annual appropriations bills, including L-HHS-ED (see Division G). This law appropriated $164 billion in discretionary funding for L-HHS-ED (not counting emergency Ebola funds), which is roughly comparable to amounts provided in FY2014 (+0.05%) and the FY2015 President's request (-0.1%). In addition, the FY2015 omnibus provided an estimated $681 billion in mandatory L-HHS-ED funding, for a total of $846 billion for L-HHS-ED as a whole. FY2015 Continuing Resolutions

The FY2015 omnibus followed three government-wide continuing resolutions (CRs), which had provided temporary funding earlier in the fiscal year ( P.L. 113-203 , P.L. 113-202 , P.L. 113-164 ). Congressional Actions on a Stand-Alone L-HHS-ED Bill

			FY2015 Action in the Senate

On June 10, 2014, the Senate L-HHS-ED Subcommittee approved an FY2015 bill by voice vote. The bill was not marked up by the full committee, but on July 24, the Senate Appropriations Committee released a copy of the subcommittee-approved bill and draft subcommittee report. These draft materials suggest that the subcommittee-approved bill would have provided $167 billion in discretionary funding for L-HHS-ED. This is about 2% more than the comparable FY2014 funding level and the FY2015 President's request. In addition, the Senate subcommittee-approved bill would have provided an estimated $681 billion in mandatory funding, for a combined total of nearly $848 billion for L-HHS-ED as a whole. FY2015 President's Budget Request

On March 4, 2014, the Obama Administration released the FY2015 President's budget. The President requested $164 billion in discretionary funding for accounts funded by the L-HHS-ED bill (0.2% more than comparable FY2014 levels). In addition, the President's budget requested roughly $681 billion in annually appropriated mandatory funding, for a total of roughly $846 billion (6% more than comparable FY2014 levels) for the L-HHS-ED bill as a whole. This law provided $164 billion in discretionary funding for L-HHS-ED. Annual L-HHS-ED appropriations laws direct funding to most (but not all) HHS agencies (see box, below, for all agencies supported by the L-HHS-ED bill). This is about $45.89 billion (+7.1%) more than the comparable FY2014 funding level and $1.68 billion (+0.2%) more than the FY2015 request. HRSA

The FY2015 omnibus provided $6.1 billion in discretionary funding for HRSA. FY2015 ED Appropriations Overview

The FY2015 omnibus provided roughly $70.47 billion in combined mandatory and discretionary funding for ED. This is $166 million (-0.2%) less than the comparable FY2014 discretionary funding level and $1.45 billion (-2.1%) less than the discretionary amount requested in the FY2015 President's budget.
This report provides an overview of actions taken by Congress and the President to provide FY2015 appropriations for accounts funded by the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies (L-HHS-ED) appropriations bill. This bill provides funding for all accounts subject to the annual appropriations process at the Departments of Labor (DOL) and Education (ED). It provides annual appropriations for most agencies within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), with certain exceptions (e.g., the Food and Drug Administration is funded via the Agriculture bill). The L-HHS-ED bill also provides funds for more than a dozen related agencies, including the Social Security Administration (SSA).
Enacted Appropriations: On December 16, 2014, President Obama signed into law the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015 (P.L. 113-235), which provided FY2015 appropriations for L-HHS-ED in Division G. This law appropriated $164 billion in discretionary funding for L-HHS-ED (not counting emergency Ebola funds), which is roughly comparable to amounts provided in FY2014 (+0.05%) and the FY2015 President's request (-0.1%). In addition, the FY2015 omnibus provided an estimated $681 billion in mandatory L-HHS-ED funding, for a total of $846 billion for L-HHS-ED as a whole. The FY2015 omnibus followed three government-wide continuing resolutions (CRs), which provided temporary funding earlier in the fiscal year (P.L. 113-164, P.L. 113-202, and P.L. 113-203).
DOL: The FY2015 omnibus provided roughly $11.9 billion in discretionary funding for DOL, roughly 0.8% less than the comparable FY2014 funding level of $12.0 billion. HHS: The FY2015 omnibus provided roughly $71.0 billion in discretionary funding for HHS, roughly 0.3% more than the comparable FY2014 funding level of $70.7 billion. ED: The FY2015 omnibus provided roughly $67.1 billion in discretionary funding for ED, roughly 0.2% less than the comparable FY2014 funding level of $67.3 billion. Related Agencies: The FY2015 omnibus provided roughly $14.2 billion in discretionary funding for L-HHS-ED related agencies, roughly 0.8% more than the comparable FY2014 funding level of $14.1 billion.
Earlier L-HHS-ED Congressional Action: Prior to the start of the fiscal year, the Senate Appropriations L-HHS-ED Subcommittee initiated action on a full-year FY2015 bill. On June 10, 2014, the Senate subcommittee approved an FY2015 L-HHS-ED appropriations bill by voice vote. This bill was not reported by the full committee. However, on July 24, 2014, the Senate Appropriations Committee released a copy of the subcommittee-approved bill and draft subcommittee report. The subcommittee-approved bill would have provided $167 billion in discretionary L-HHS-ED funds, which is about 2% more than the comparable FY2014 funding level and the FY2015 President's request. In addition, the Senate subcommittee bill would have provided an estimated $681 billion in mandatory funding, for a combined total of $848 billion for L-HHS-ED as a whole. The House did not take action on a stand-alone FY2015 L-HHS-ED bill.
President's Request: On March 4, 2014, the Obama Administration released its FY2015 budget. The President requested $164 billion in discretionary funding for accounts funded by the L-HHS-ED bill (0.2% more than comparable FY2014 levels). In addition, the President's budget requested roughly $681 billion in annually appropriated mandatory funding, for a total of roughly $846 billion (6% more than comparable FY2014 levels) for the L-HHS-ED bill as a whole.