The HHS rule would require wage and benefit increases for Head Start staff, but Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., claimed the proposed changes would reduce funded, if vacant, slots in the education program.
A divided Congress has shepherded fewer bills to the president this session, often fostering little consensus in 2024, and things don't look to improve during election season.
The decision to include $14.7 billion for the Social Security Administration’s administrative budget sets up a fight with the House, which is proposing a nearly half billion-dollar cut.
Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., told reporters Tuesday that the major spending cuts in Republicans’ fiscal 2025 proposal to fund the departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education would have significant impacts on workers, families and students.
Lower attrition means that the agency will continue to promote internal recruitment, but limit some outside hires to ensure it that it can align both funding and core mission functions.
Democrats said the planned half-billion-dollar cut to the Social Security Administration’s administrative budget would bring the agency’s workforce to the lowest level in 50 years.
The Technology Modernization Fund would once again see zero contributions in FY25, though the U.S. Digital Service would get new authority to get reimbursements from agencies under the bill.
State's top appropriator says he will try to make FY25 as "minimally harmful" as possible for the department, but Secretary Blinken cautions an already understaffed workforce would suffer without more resources.
Congress is exploring several options to fund it. All face long odds of success despite widespread and bipartisan support for the Affordable Connectivity Program.