Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2006

This act provided approximately $142.5 billion in federal funding for the 2006 fiscal year to support a wide range of public services managed by the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education. For everyday citizens, this funding sustained essential programs such as Pell Grants for college students, Head Start for early childhood education, and the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). It also financed the operations of the Social Security Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and various job training and unemployment services.

Beyond basic funding, the law included specific policy directives, such as prohibiting the use of federal funds for certain types of embryo research and maintaining long-standing restrictions on the use of federal money for abortions, except in cases of rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother. It also established the Office of Job Corps within the Department of Labor and set the maximum individual Pell Grant award at $4,050 for the 2006-2007 school year. Additionally, the act provided resources for public health emergencies, including the development of influenza vaccines and domestic volunteer programs like AmeriCorps.