Nearly 400 groups, including the Coalition on Human Needs, this week urged leading appropriators in Congress to allocate a greater share of funds in fiscal year 2021 to programs controlled by the departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education. Even as Congress grapples with special funding to respond to the coronavirus pandemic, it remains necessary to support the basic programs that protect health and provide the tools for economic recovery. In a letter sent Thursday to the Chair and Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and the Chair and Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee, the groups noted that the programs funded by the Labor-HHS-Education Subcommittee affect health and well-being, child development, educational and skills attainment. Yet these programs largely have been shortchanged in the appropriations process over the last decade.

“Even in years when non-defense discretionary funding increased, the Subcommittee’s allocation remained flat or received only a small share of the increase even though it is the largest non-defense bill,” the letter states. “We recognize the constraints posed by the tight cap on non-defense discretionary spending but urge you to keep in mind the importance of funding the long-standing needs addressed by the Labor-HHS-Education bill. Its programs strengthen the nation by improving Americans’ lives and meeting basic needs for a broad range of constituencies.”

You can view the entire letter and see the list of 371 signees here.