Congress, White House finally reach budget deal

After protracted negotiations, congressional leaders and the White House finally reached agreement Thursday on a $500 billion omnibus fiscal 1999 spending package that will fund one third of the federal government. But Congress passed a fifth continuing resolution through next Tuesday to allow negotiators to put finishing touches on the deal.

Both Republicans and Democrats declared victory in the budget talks, which brought government to the brink of shutting down five times since the end of September.

A final vote on the omnibus spending package is slated for Tuesday evening, House Appropriations Committee spokeswoman Elizabeth Morra said. A continuing resolution was passed Friday extending through Oct. 20.

"All in all, I think these negotiations have wound up in a positive fashion," said Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss. House Minority Leader Gephardt said, "Obviously, Democrats are pleased," referring to $1.1 billion in education funds in the package.

However, negotiators continued to haggle over a few issues. House appropriators cautioned it will take them 24 hours to prepare the huge bill once the deals are finalized. And Democrats warned they would not rush to vote on the plan.

"We will not pass this bill before we read it," Gephardt said. "It is still not written." And he contended "there are any number of things that could upset the apple cart."

Lott and others earlier identified several of the final outstanding items. The majority leader said there is some dispute over language dealing with the Tennessee Valley Authority. Sources said some negotiators-over the objection of appropriators-wanted to allow the TVA to refinance loans at a cost of $750 million to the federal government. Appropriators had been willing to give the TVA $50 million, but some negotiators have demanded the $750 million refinancing package in addition to the $50 million.

Democrats also were still pushing for some pension expansion for military retirees.

Lott said negotiators are trying to settle on final census language that would provide six-month funding for the Commerce-Justice-State appropriations bill. And Lott said some haggling was still taking place over Internet pornography language. Democrats also continue to be upset with having strict international family planning language tied to paying dues owed to the United Nations.

Earlier, White House Press Secretary Joe Lockhart said a "couple of issues" remained-describing them as "not just details," but declining to comment further. Lockhart proclaimed victory for President Clinton on education, and handed reporters a checklist indicating Republicans had met or exceeded the president's budget request for a host of his education initiatives.

President Clinton this afternoon vowed to push next year for his plan to provide tax credits for school construction, which Republicans managed to keep out of the budget this year even as they gave Clinton the other half of the proposal, funds to begin hiring 100,000 new teachers. "While I am profoundly grateful for the 100,000 teachers, I am determined to see that we finish the job next year," Clinton said.