Senate Tries to Buy a Little More Time : Sends Reagan 4th Stopgap as It Works on Spending Bill

The Senate, trying to buy a little more time to pass the largest spending bill in history, approved today and sent President Reagan a fourth temporary measure to keep the government running--this time until Friday.

White House spokesman Larry Speakes said Reagan will sign the stopgap measure, lasting until midnight tonight, because Congress is making progress on long-term legislation that is needed to allow the government to spend money through Sept. 30, 1987.

Technically, the government went broke at midnight when a third stopgap spending bill expired and the long-term measure had still not been approved by both the House and Senate.

Working into the early morning, the House tentatively approved the long-term, $576-billion spending bill needed to finance virtually every aspect of the federal government. It also passed the short-term extension.

Veto Possible

But the House also added to the long-term bill some amendments that the Senate does not want--and those disputes could keep the measure bouncing back and forth between the two chambers. Two of the amendments could also provoke a presidential veto.

One would prohibit union companies from forming non-union subsidiaries, a practice known as “double-breasting.” The other would require a “Buy American” provision for outer continental shelf oil-drilling equipment.

The budget action came as Congress, pushing hard to adjourn for the year, worked to take care of other major items, including a sweeping revision of the nation’s immigration laws.

The Senate was considering a compromise immigration bill that was passed by the house Wednesday 238 to 173. (Story, Page 8.)

Simpson, Reagan Confer

Last-minute objections to the bill from the Administration evaporated after Sen. Alan K. Simpson (R-Wyo.) had a 30-minute White House meeting with Reagan today.

Afterward, Simpson said he was convinced that the President would sign the bill, but he added that Reagan also sought a clarification of a provision outlawing employment discrimination against Latinos, Asians and other foreign nationals who are legally in the United States but not citizens.

The bill would offer amnesty to illegal aliens who came to the United States before 1982. In addition, the legislation provides fines and prison terms for employers who knowingly hire undocumented workers.

Also in line for final congressional action was a popular, $1.7-billion election-year measure aimed at combatting illegal drug use.