2008 Budget for Education Awaits Outcome of Tussles

Federal lawmakers and the Bush administration were still working late last week on final details of a package of bills financing most federal discretionary spending for fiscal 2008, including for programs in the Department of Education.

Democratic leaders in Congress tentatively agreed to stick close to President Bush’s proposed levels for discretionary federal spending for agencies other than the Department of Defense for fiscal 2008, which began Oct. 1. They were working to craft an omnibus spending measure financing such programs at $933 billion. Democrats had initially sought a $22 billion increase over the president’s request for such programs, including an additional $4 billion over the administration’s proposal...