The House : New Spending Bill

By a vote of 227 to 197, the House sent to the Senate a bill (HR 2072) to increase spending this fiscal year by $3.7 billion. The so-called dire emergency supplemental bill funds several programs that are running out of money and others that are politically popular.

Democrats generally defended the spending as necessary to keep vital programs in operation, while most Republicans complained that the bill violates deficit-reduction agreements. President Bush has threatened a veto.

Major outlays are $1.2 billion for veterans, $892 million for student loans, $822 million for anti-drug initiatives, $423 million for foster care and $342 million for fighting last year’s forest fires. The bill also provides more money for the homeless and unemployed, legislative branch operations and agencies such as the Agriculture Department and Internal Revenue Service.

Supporter Jamie Whitten (D-Miss.) said: “Give us this bill, which takes care of drugs, which takes care of veterans. . . .”

Opponent Silvio Conte (R-Mass.) said: “Here we go again, spending as if there were no tomorrow.”

Members voting yes supported the bill.

How They Voted Yea Nay No vote Rep. Moorhead (R) x Rep. Roybal (D) x Rep. Waxman (D) x

GOP Substitute

By a vote of 205 to 217, the House rejected a Republican attempt to strip the $3.7-billion appropriations bill (above) of all spending except $1.2 billion for veterans programs including medical care. The motion expressed GOP and White House complaints that the Democratic majority was using popular veterans spending to run interference for unwarranted increases this fiscal year in other programs.

Supporter Gerald Solomon (R-N.Y.) said: “The veterans package is still being used as the engine to drive this monstrosity through the Congress.”

Opponent Neal Smith (D-Iowa) said members voting yes “are voting against enhancing and speeding up the war on drugs.”

Members voting yes wanted the bill to fund only veterans programs.

How They Voted Yea Nay No vote Rep. Moorhead (R) x Rep. Roybal (D) x Rep. Waxman (D) x

Spending Priorities

By a vote of 205 to 213, the House defeated a bill (HR 2442) to increase anti-drug spending at the expense of the Strategic Defense Initiative missile system. Next fiscal year’s SDI appropriation was to have been frozen at this year’s level, freeing up $862 million for immediate transfer to anti-drug programs. The bill was to have been joined with the Senate-bound supplemental appropriations bill for fiscal 1989 (see preceding votes).

Supporter Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) said the amendment shifts money “from an inflated program we do not need, Star Wars, to an under-funded initiative we cannot ignore, drug wars.”

Opponent Duncan L. Hunter (R-Coronado) said: “Let’s not start tearing the country apart and saying that only the liberal left on defense can participate actively in the drug war.”

Members voting yes wanted to transfer $862 million from SDI to anti-drug programs.

How They Voted Yea Nay No vote Rep. Moorhead (R) x Rep. Roybal (D) x Rep. Waxman (D) x