The National PTA says the Senate vote to add more than $16 billion to President George W. Bush's fiscal year 2007 (FY07) budget request included more than $10 billion for programs under the purview of the Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS), and Education Appropriations Subcommittee. The "stunning" vote came last week, after several days of intense lobbying by education, child advocacy, and health organizations, as well as substantial grassroots mobilization, in support of an amendment introduced by Sens. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania and Tom Harkin of Iowa to increase discretionary funding in the FY07 budget resolution (S.Con.Res. 83).

The Senate also agreed to increase funding for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) by $3.3 billion, increasing the funds available to carry out that program to the full authorized level of $5.1 billion. The increase in LIHEAP funding would be paid for by closing corporate tax loopholes

An amendment introduced by Sen. Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island to increase funding for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) by $2 billion was also adopted but will likely be stripped out in conference with the House Budget Committee due to the fact that it does not include a mechanism for paying for the increase. The Senate's budget resolution is $2.8 trillion. The House Budget Committee is not expected to work on the House's FY07 budget resolution until April 5.