Fiscal 1990 budget agreement

Executive Summary

Budget bill unanimously adopted by a House/Senate conference committee on May 11 includes $ 100 mil. in "unspecified savings" in health program. Staffers say the line item, adopted from the Senate version, was inspired by the Bush Administration's FDA user fee proposal. However, they note, the savings are "assumed" but not "forced" upon the authorization or appropriations committees. Leaders of both the Senate Labor & Human Resources Committee and the House Energy & Commerce Committee -- including Sens. Kennedy (D-Mass.) and Hatch (R-Utah), and Rep. Waxman (D-Calif.) -- oppose FDA user fees. The budget plan must be approved by the full House and Senate.