Copyright 2000 The Washington Post
The Washington
Post
October 30, 2000, Monday, Final Edition
SECTION: A SECTION; Pg. A04
LENGTH: 732 words
HEADLINE:
Congress Votes Temporary Government Operations Funding; Lott Warns Impasse Might
Last
BYLINE: Dan Morgan , Washington Post Staff Writer
BODY:
Congress, meeting in a rare Sunday
session, voted late yesterday to continue funding the operations of the federal
government through midnight tonight while the White House and congressional
leaders negotiated through the night to try to resolve their differences over
one part of the delayed budget.
The meeting broke up shortly before 1
a.m. with participants saying that progress had been made on key issues relating
to the $ 112 billion bill funding the Education, Labor and Health and Human
Services departments.
"They came very close to agreeing on a lot of
things," said House Appropriations Committee spokeswoman Elizabeth Morra.
Among the issues on which differences were narrowed, sources said, was a
major school construction initiative, proposed federal workplace rules intended
to reduce repetitive stress injuries and a Republican-backed provision banning
public schools from administering "morning after" contraceptive pills. But
Office of Management and Budget Director Jacob "Jack" Lew said after the talks
recessed early this morning, "We still have to bring the details together."
Earlier in the day, Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-Miss.) warned
that negotiations over a range of issues might go right up until the Nov. 7
election if the impasse continues over education funding, Medicare financing, a
GOP-backed tax cut, changes in immigration law, and a series of smaller issues.
Speaking on ABC's "This Week," Lott said Congress would stay in session
that long, "if that's what it takes."
Late yesterday, the White House
offered a new proposal aimed at ending the impasse over the huge bill funding
education appropriation. The centerpiece, according to House Minority Leader
Richard A. Gephardt (D-Mo.), is a new entitlement program that would subsidize $
25 billion worth of school construction bonds.
The federal contribution,
about $ 1.8 billion, would enable selected school districts to market the bonds.
Gephardt said the bond program was central to President Clinton's priority of
reducing class sizes, a key to upgrading the academic performance of children in
public schools.
Republicans have offered their own bond proposal in
their $ 240 billion tax bill, but the White House has said it is unacceptable
and is a reason Clinton has vowed to veto the tax measure.
"The White
House has laid out a fairly straightforward proposition for ending the divisions
at least on the major bill that divides us," said Rep. David R. Obey (Wis.), the
top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee. "I would hope we would have
flexibility on the part of both sides."
Republican officials expressed
concern about reports Clinton might veto the $ 30.3 billion Treasury
Department-Postal Service bill that was sent to him nine days ago. "He gave his
word that this was pretty much a done deal," said Lott spokesman John
Czwartacki.
But Democratic aides said the president has made clear his
concern about the impact of one provision, repeal of the telephone
tax, which would result in $ 20 billion in lost revenue over five
years. With the separate Republican tax cut bill costing $ 240 billion over 10
years, Clinton wants to see how the combined tax measures fit into a long-range
debt reduction strategy, Democrats said.
House and Senate Republican
leaders met last night amid signs that they are using the final bills to lay
down markers on a number of issues popular with conservatives: tax cuts for
small business, overturning Oregon's assisted suicide law, and denying funds to
the Justice Department to pursue lawsuits against big tobacco companies.
They also oppose Clinton's proposal requiring workers on school
construction sites to receive the prevailing union wage scale.
"They're
trying to give a big gift to organized labor right before the election, and
we're not going to do it," said Sen. Don Nickles (R-Okla.).
Several
Republicans said they were in no hurry to wind up business. Rep. James E. Rogan
(R-Calif.), who is in one of the toughest House races, lounged in a relaxed
manner off the floor last week. "I will stay here before I see us put out a bad
budget," he said.
Republicans "got their ears boxed" by the voters two
years ago when they hurried out of town to campaign after capitulating to
Clinton on many issues, Rogan said. This year, the party is not taking that
approach, he indicated.
LOAD-DATE: October 30, 2000
