Copyright 2001 The Seattle Times Company  
The Seattle Times
December 14, 2001, Friday Fourth Edition
SECTION: ROP ZONE; News; Pg. A13; Capital Watch

LENGTH: 861 words

HEADLINE: Capital Watch

DATELINE: Washington, DC

BODY:
Congress OKs more money for defense

WASHINGTON -- Congress, overcoming objections to base closings, gave final approval yesterday to a $343 billion defense authorization bill. It includes the largest military pay raise in two decades, an increase in anti-terrorism money and full funding of missile-defense efforts.

The vote in the House was 382-40, followed several hours later by a 96-2 vote in the Senate. Among Washington state lawmakers, only Democratic Rep. Jim McDermott voted no. Sen. Patty Murray did not vote.

The measure goes to President Bush for his signature. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, who threatened to recommend a veto if the bill did not include a base-closing round in 2003, would not say whether the 2005 provision would allay that threat.

The legislation authorizes spending by the Defense Department and military efforts of the Energy Department for the budget year that began Oct. 1. It contains a $33 billion increase, or 10.6 percent, over 2001 spending.

Also yesterday, the Senate unanimously passed the intelligence-authorization bill by a voice vote and sent it to the White House. It places new emphasis on human spy networks and calls for an increase of about 8 percent in spending. The actual spending on intelligence, generally not made public, has been estimated at about $30 billion.

The defense measure offers service members minimum 5 percent across-the-board pay raises, 10 percent in some cases, effective Jan. 1. The bill provides more help with moving expenses and a major boost in construction spending, including improvements to family housing.

At the same time, the bill "has something in it to disappoint virtually everyone involved," said Rep. Bob Stump, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee. Opposition from Stump and others to base closings delayed passage for a month.

The agreement to one round of closings in 2005, two years after the administration wanted one, was the compromise he proposed.

House passes plan requiring annual testing in schools

The House yesterday overwhelmingly passed President Bush's broad education plan that would require millions of students to take annual reading and math tests. For the first time, the scores could affect how much federal funding schools receive and how they spend it.

The 381-41 vote -- Washington state lawmakers were unanimous in their support -- gave Bush a bipartisan victory on what he has said was the top item on his domestic agenda. Senate passage was expected next week.

The House and Senate spent months refining the massive Elementary and Secondary Education Act, which provides most of the funding and overall regulation for K-12 education.

In addition to testing, the bill would require schools to come up with plans to close the achievement gap between low-income and middle-class students and between white and minority students.

States and school districts would have more freedom over how they spend federal dollars. Money intended for teacher improvement, for example, could pay for salary increases.

Overall, the bill authorizes $26.5 billion for elementary and secondary education in the 2002 budget year, which began Oct. 1. That would be about $8 billion more than the previous year, and about $4 billion more than Bush requested, but nearly $6 billion less than Senate Democrats wanted. The actual amount could be lowered once Congress makes its annual spending decisions.

Senators compromise on election-reform proposal

Senate Democrats and Republicans yesterday introduced compromise legislation to overhaul the nation's election system, a day after the House voted to give states $2.6 billion to improve how Americans vote.

Senators unveiled their $3.4 billion, five-year proposal designed to end gridlock on an issue that has divided Republicans and Democrats since balloting problems in Florida delayed a decision on who was elected president.

Senate Democrats wanted to require states to make certain improvements; Republicans insisted the bill include provisions against voter fraud.

Economic plan could extend unemployment-benefit period

Congressional negotiators on an economic-stimulus package tentatively agreed yesterday to key parts of an unemployment-assistance plan and began tackling the more difficult issue of helping laid-off people afford health coverage. Tax cuts were left until later.

The bipartisan House-Senate group said the package probably would extend the 26-week unemployment benefit by 13 weeks for workers who lost their jobs after March 15, when economists say the nation's recession began.

Participants said they also were near agreement on a proposal to use optional grants to help states provide jobless benefits to part-time workers.

Also ...

Senate Republicans refused yesterday to limit debate on a Democrat-authored farm bill, all but killing prospects for enacting new farm subsidies this year. ... House Republicans yesterday outlined two plans to ensure survival of Social Security over the next 75 years, both allowing younger workers to invest some wages in personal retirement accounts.

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