$20-Billion Anti-Terror Deal Reached
House-Senate negotiators agreed Tuesday to a compromise $20-billion anti-terrorism package that would divert billions that President Bush wanted for defense to domestic security and communities hit by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
Bush rebuffed earlier demands by Democrats for a wider-ranging measure with a price tag that was at least $15 billion more. But Democrats succeeded in cutting the $7.3 billion Bush wanted for the Pentagon to $3.5 billion, with resulting increases for expenditures at home.
The remaining $16.5 billion was divided roughly between domestic security programs and payments to areas directly affected by the attacks.
The anti-terrorism money was attached to a compromise $318-billion defense measure for this year. The House was planning to vote on the measure Thursday, and the Senate may as well.
With the war in Afghanistan and other costs, the Pentagon is expected to get even more money after Congress returns from its holiday recess early next year.
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