To: AllPolitics
From: Steven Shusman/CNN
In: Washington
Posted: 2-27-97

Subject: Senate To Debate Fund-Raising Investigation

The full Senate will soon debate how much money should be spent investigating alleged illegalities in campaign fund-raising. A source says Republican Leader Trent Lott (r-Miss.) has agreed to bring up the issue after completion of the Balanced Budget Amendment, probably next Wednesday.

In the normal order of things, the Senate Rules Committee would have to vote on the issue first and report it to the floor. This step is being eliminated because of fear that a couple of balky Republicans might join with Democrats to kill the funding request.

The same source says Sen. Fred Thompson (R-Tenn.), chairman of the investigating panel, may request a 5.7 million-dollar budget. This is down only slightly from the 6.5 million Thompson originally proposed and still a far cry from the 1.8 million the Democrats are willing to go along with.

The source says while Thompson might agree to "target dates" for committee reports and conclusions, he remains opposed to absolute deadlines as Democrats want.