Senate Committee Approves GOP’s Budget Goals

The Senate Budget Committee voted, 12 to 10, along party lines Wednesday night for a budget plan for the new fiscal year that begins Oct. 1.

The GOP budget resolution simply sets goals; separate spending and tax legislation is required to turn those goals into law. The plan would set aside all federal funds that arise from any tobacco legislation to ensure the solvency of the Medicare health program for the elderly. Tobacco legislation has not yet been approved by Congress.

Democrats criticized that objective, saying that diverting tobacco funds from smoking-related health and education programs would endanger the chances for congressional approval of comprehensive tobacco legislation.

President Clinton’s budget submitted in February proposed using tobacco funds for such programs as biomedical research, cancer treatment and child health care.

Clinton faulted the GOP budget plan, saying it “shortchanges our nation’s future.”