From The Chronicle of Higher Education:

The Democratic leadership of the U.S. Senate proposed on Wednesday a spending blueprint for 2008 that would increase financing for the Education Department by $6.1-billion over the amount proposed by President Bush. The plan suggests giving Pell Grants, which aid needy students, high priority for some of the additional money.

The blueprint is another example of how Congressional Democrats are challenging Mr. Bush’s policies in education and other areas much more than did the Republicans. Before Democrats won control of Congress in November, the Republicans often proposed spending blueprints that mirrored Mr. Bush’s.

The Senate plan, called a budget resolution, proposes a total of $62.3-billion for the Education Department in the 2008 fiscal year, which begins October 1. The document does not, however, spell out spending levels for individual programs, like Pell Grants, but would set ceilings for broader categories of spending.

The House of Representatives is expected to propose its version of the resolution next week, and leaders of both chambers will negotiate over any differences. Spending details for individual programs will be hashed out later this year by appropriations committees in both chambers.

Mr. Bush proposed a maximum Pell Grant award in 2008 of $4,600, an increase from this year’s $4,310, but proposed paying for it in part by eliminating some other student-aid programs, including the $880-million Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants Program, which augments Pell Grants for needy college students (The Chronicle, February 16.) So if the Senate chooses to preserve funds for those programs, it could reduce the net increase for the Education Department to less than the $6.1-billion proposed in the budget resolution.

Aside from education, the plan also emphasizes health care for children and veterans.

The blueprint does not specifically propose more spending to expand scientific research, which college officials have called for in order to improve competitiveness. However, Sen. Kent Conrad, a North Dakota Democrat who leads the Budget Committee, said at a hearing on Wednesday that “education is critically important to maintaining our nation’s competitiveness in today’s globalized economy and promoting our long-term economic growth.” [full text]

How these increases trickle down, if they do happen, will be interesting. Also, I wonder why there were no specific provisions made for improving scientific research. This is an area where we are likely already being beaten out of the business by many foreign science researchers. Keeping up with the rest of the planet on scientific research just seems like common sense.