President Bush Signs $463.5B Fiscal Year 2007 Appropriations Bill

President Bush on Thursday signed a $463.5 billion fiscal year 2007 omnibus appropriations bill, which includes increased funds for health programs, the AP/Arizona Daily Star reports (AP/Arizona Daily Star, 2/16). The Senate on Wednesday voted 81-15 to approve the legislation, which will fund most federal agencies until Sept. 30, the end of FY 2007. The bill increases funds for NIH by $619 million and funds for veterans' health care by $3.6 billion. In addition, the legislation increases funds for health and education programs by $2.3 billion and funds for community health centers by $207 million. Congress last year approved two of 11 FY 2007 appropriations bills and passed a continuing resolution to fund most federal agencies at FY 2006 levels that expired on Feb. 15 (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 2/15). Bush in a statement said he was pleased that Congress followed his overall proposed spending cap but expressed displeasure that funding was removed for military base closures (AP/Arizona Daily Star, 2/16).