 |
|
 |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Senators pass $15 billion spending bill for Kosovo, storm victims, farmersClinton says he will sign the bill
May 21, 1999 WASHINGTON (AllPolitics, May 20) -- Following the lead of the House, the Senate Thursday approved, 64-36, the $15 billion bill providing emergency funding for U.S. operations in Yugoslavia, storm victims and farmers. The measure now moves to President Bill Clinton who has pledged to sign it. Clinton urged Congress Thursday to send the legislation to him quickly, saying the money was badly needed help to Kosovar Albanian refugees and countries bordering Yugoslavia and that he would "as soon as it gets here." "Most important, it will give our military what it needs to see its mission through, while maintaining the readiness of our forces around the world," the president said at the White House. The House approved the package Tuesday, 269-158.
The bill has detractors. Some complain that it is too large and is loaded with pork. Others are upset that all but $2 billion of the funding would come out of this year's expected $111 billion federal budget surplus -- a majority of which comes from Social Security. "It's going to be a very difficult road. A lot of people in principle are against the bill, but I believe the bill will pass," said Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) before the vote. Earlier in the day a move by Sen. Phil Gramm (R-Texas) to pay for more of the bill by cutting most domestic programs failed, 70-30.The lion's share of the emergency spending package -- $12 billion -- will fund the U.S. airstrikes against Serb targets in Yugoslavia and Kosovo, aid Kosovar refugees and the Balkan countries sheltering them and be used to build-up the nation's defenses. The amount is twice what Clinton originally requested but Republicans added extra funding, arguing that the military needs it for increased readiness, recruitment, munitions, pay raises and benefits. On top of Kosovo funding, the legislation contains $574 million in emergency aid for farmers hurt by falling commodity prices, and $2 billion to fund disaster relief, including $900 million to help the Midwest recover from tornado disasters; aid to Central American countries hit by hurricanes Mitch and Georges; and $100 million to aid in stabilizing Jordan. Fueling accusations that the bill contains to much pork, sprinkled throughout the 'emergency' measure are projects lawmakers won for home-state interests such as $26 million to aid fishermen in Alaska's Glacier Bay, where commercial fishing has been banned. And Alaska's Stevens also inserted $3 million to aid reindeer herders.
"The freight train has stowaways hidden all the way through," said Sen. Tim Hutchinson (R-Arkansas). Other features of the bill include an extra $333,000 a year each for House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt (D-Missouri) and House Majority Whip Tom DeLay (R-Texas) for office expenses. Another $6.5 million was allocated to monitor elections in East Timor, which is deciding whether to break free of Indonesia; $2.2 million for Utah to build sewers for the 2002 Winter Olympics; and $1.5 million to add water to drought-stricken San Carlos Lake in Arizona. Separately on Wednesday, the House Armed Services Committee voted to impose new spending restrictions on Clinton's conduct of the Yugoslavia operation. Democrats denounced the action as the latest in a series of conflicting signals by the Republican-led House.
The panel, working on a $288.8 billion defense spending bill for the fiscal year that begins October 1, endorsed a provision stating that none of the funds "may be used for the conduct of combat or peacekeeping operations" in Yugoslavia. In defeats for the environmental lobby, the measure also has language delaying tighter restrictions on mining companies using government lands. Higher royalties on oil companies that drill on federal property would also be postponed. The Associated Press contributed to this report. |
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
MORE STORIES:Thursday, May 20, 1999
• Transcript: Senate Democrats, Gore celebrate 'gun-show loophole' vote • Roll call on gun background checks • Clinton praises Columbine students for keeping faith • Senators pass $15 billion spending bill for Kosovo, storm victims, farmers • Report: China benefited from stolen nuclear secrets • Congress considers how to keep kids from Web's dark side • House vote sends missile defense bill to president • Mrs. Dole logs on for Web site chat • Nebraska Legislature passes nation's first moratorium on executions • President renominates Shelton as Joint Chiefs chairman • House committee to schedule Social Security hearings • Private school tax breaks measure clears Senate panel • Clinton education plan denounced • Alexander keeps going despite polls • Forbes' New Hampshire campaign manager resigns • Brother of presidential candidate sought by police | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
