The Nation - News from July 3, 1986

President Reagan signed a $1.7-billion catchall spending bill, saying it provides urgently needed funds but complaining that several of its provisions infringe on executive branch powers. The measure was approved by Congress late last month. The White House expressed strong objections throughout the bill-writing process to many provisions, but wound up accepting the package after a proposal for refinancing billions of dollars in federal loans to rural electric cooperatives was softened.