 |
 |
| ||||||||
With no budget deal, GOP would spend $34 billion over 1999
November 1, 1999 WASHINGTON -- In a departure from previous years, congressional Republicans have written spending bills for fiscal 2000 that will exceed last year's levels by nearly $34 billion even before reaching a budget deal with President Bill Clinton that could add even more spending. That 5.8 percent increase over fiscal 1999 is based on new estimates by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. Republicans don't mention the numbers as they work toward finishing Congress' budget work for the year, perhaps by next week. White House budget chief Jack Lew held talks Monday with congressional budget-writers on the five remaining spending bills. Of the five unfinished spending bills, the total difference between Clinton and Congress is less than $5 billion. But speaking to reporters, Lew said that "the differences are very real" between Democrats and Republicans over the final spending bills. The administration "cares deeply" about issues like funds for 100,000 new teachers, 50,000 new cops and paying off the country's overdue United Nations' dues."So this is going to be difficult set of discussions but difficult discussions can proceed if there's good faith on both sides." he said. Republicans have written extra money into bills funding education, health, defense and other programs. The new money is a stark change from GOP rhetoric when they took over Congress in 1994 and focused on shrinking the size of government. But as Clinton won several year-end budget clashes, Republicans this year are placing money in favored GOP programs on their own, and are using the spending bills to play political defense. "It's all about deflecting expected attacks by Clinton on a range of spending priorities," Marshall Wittmann, congressional affairs director for the conservative Heritage Foundation, said of the GOP strategy. GOP leaders also have used the spending bills to play offense with their highest priority in the budget fight: their refusal to use Social Security surpluses to pay for federal programs. It's a goal that rank-and-file Republicans universally support and GOP leaders say it is an effective, easy-to-communicate message to voters. But Republicans aren't advertising that actual spending is still increasing. The GOP has proposed an across-the-board spending but of 0.97 percent, but that cut does not reduce actual spending. It only cuts proposed increases in spending in the 13 spending bills for fiscal 2000, which total $610.5 billion, an increase of $33.6 billion over 1999 levels. "We're committed to trying to control the growth of spending," said Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-Mississippi). "It's not so much cutting spending, it's cutting back to control growth." The GOP strategy has not faced much opposition, even from conservatives who have dissented in past years at end-of-session spending deals with Clinton that resulted in more money being spent. But even with more spending, Republicans are expecting a political victory this time, thanks to their call to preserve Social Security funds. "With split government, to finish the job at the end of the year, you have to compromise," said Rep. Jerry Weller (R-Illinois), adding that the GOP call to protect Social Security is "a tremendous Republican victory." The strategy has also proven to be a win for House Majority Whip Tom DeLay (R-Texas), who has been the architect of congressional GOP budget planning this year. DeLay saw months ago that spending demands by members of both parties would make it impossible to honor two-year-old spending limits for fiscal 2000. Those limits would have required $31 billion less spending than Republicans now plan, according to the CBO. So Republicans stopped even trying to honor those spending caps, even though living within them was a goal set by party leaders earlier this year. Instead, they have focused on leaving Social Security surpluses alone, a goal that was more easily attainable than living within the spending limits. The move also lets them cast themselves as protectors of the popular program, even though not spending that Social Security money does virtually nothing to strengthen the program. Social Security money is routinely spent to cover government deficits. Last week, the Clinton Administration released figures showing that the government dipped into the trust fund for $1 billion. The Social Security surplus last year was $124 billion, and the rest of the government ran a $1 billion deficit, creating a combined $123 billion government surplus, according to figures compiled by the Office of Management and Budget. The Associated Press contributed to this report. |
|
| |||||||
MORE STORIES:Monday, November 1, 1999
• Election day 1999 may signal trends for 2000 • Election 2000 briefs • Smith rejoins GOP • With no budget deal, GOP would spend $34 billion over 1999 • Des Moines Register analysis: Dole's exit leaves gap for McCain • Bush slightly injured while jogging • In one city election, it's a fluoride conspiracy • Clinton renews call for more teachers • First lady shows art treasures in televised White House tour • Trie gets harsher-than-expected sentence • Bradley credible and McCain not out yet, says Clinton | |||||||||