Abstract

PIP: In February, 1994, President Clinton sent his fiscal 1995 budget proposal to Congress. If Congress approves his budget, it will reduce the federal deficit for the third straight year. President Clinton proposed reductions to make up for proposed increases for preventive health programs. The Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) highlights that the programs targeted for budget increases are cost effective. The administration proposed that Title X funds be increased 10%. A less than 1% increase was proposed for the Community Health Centers program. The Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) would receive a 12% increase. A 40% increase was designated for Ryan White CARE Act programs. Overall, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) would receive a 4.7% increase in non-AIDS research funds. The new NIH Office of AIDS Research will manage all HIV-related research funds. The National Institute for Child Health and Child Development would receive $517 million for non-AIDS research monies plus $65 million for AIDS research monies, a more than 5% increase. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is slated to receive a 4% decrease in funds. Its screening programs for sexually transmitted diseases and breast and cervical cancer would receive their current level of funding. President Clinton proposes a small decrease in funding (1%) for the Maternal and Child Health block grant. The budget proposes that the Office of Adolescent Family Life, which supports abstinence-based programs, be eliminated. Its funds would be diverted to the broader mandated new Office of Adolescent Health under the US Surgeon General. It proposes a 13% increase in funding to USAID's population program. President Clinton hopes to overturn current abortion bans related to HHS, Peace Corps, and the District of Columbia. He will address other abortions bans as he pursues health care reform.