House passes military construction-VA spending bill

In its final major act before adjourning for recess, the House voted 409-4 Friday to approve the fiscal 2009 Military Construction-VA spending bill that would provide $72.7 billion in discretionary funding for military construction initiatives and veterans programs.

Under the measure, the first of the 12 annual spending bills passed by the House, the Veterans Affairs Department would receive $47.7 billion, which is $4.6 billion above the fiscal 2008 funding level and $2.9 billion over President Bush's fiscal 2009 budget request. For military construction, the legislation would provide $24.8 billion.

House approval comes after Bush Wednesday told appropriators to offset the $2.9 billion increase for veterans in the other 11 annual spending bills or face a veto over any measure topping his budget request.

During debate on the bill, Military Construction-VA Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Chet Edwards, D-Texas, cited concerns from veterans' groups as the reason for increasing funding over Bush's request.

In a letter to House leaders, Edwards said veterans groups argued that Bush's request fell short "about $3 billon" of their needs. Military Construction-VA Appropriations Subcommittee ranking member Zach Wamp, R-Tenn., agreed with the increase above Bush's request but noted the White House funding request was a record-high one.

Republicans again tried to offer energy-related amendments in their latest attempt in a weeks-long effort to force Democratic leaders to take up GOP energy legislation. Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah, sought to offer the energy legislation as an amendment, which included language to lift a ban on offshore oil and gas drilling, but the proposal was ruled not to be germane.

Rep. Michael Burgess, R-Texas, tried to offer language that would have required $400,000 of the bill's funding be provided to the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force to design and build petroleum refineries. But he withdrew the amendment before it would have been deemed nongermane. In addition, the House defeated an amendment, 350-63, offered by Rep. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., that would have cut funding for over 100 member-directed projects in the bill.

During the debate, which started Thursday evening, Rep. Tom Latham, R-Iowa, said he wanted to offer an amendment to provide Midwest flood recovery funding but held back because he knew it would be deemed nongermane. He chided House Democrats for not permitting the proposal, which drew a sharp response from House Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey, D-Wis., late Thursday.

Obey said Democratic leaders intend to provide Midwest disaster funding before leaving for the year. "This Congress would not adjourn for the year without providing needed disaster relief," said Obey. He added that the spending bill "is probably not going to become law before any supplemental that is passed in September."

House and Senate Democratic leaders have said they intend to try to pass a second emergency supplemental spending bill, which would likely provide about $50 billion in aid, before they adjourn for the year.