House readies stopgap spending measure lasting to February

House Republican leaders planned to introduce a continuing resolution Thursday to fund the government through Sunday, putting the heat on lawmakers to wrap up unfinished appropriations business this weekend and adjourn for the year. The current CR expires Friday.

But leadership is holding a long-term CR in reserve to last through the end of February, although sources said the Senate is more inclined to come back briefly in December and could amend the CR to reflect that desire. Sources also held out the possibility that another CR lasting two or three days could be necessary if lawmakers are on the verge of a breakthrough towards the end of the weekend.

Appropriators want to avoid either scenario but are losing faith that deals can be struck before leadership drops the ax on the fiscal 2004 spending process for this year.

"We should know in the next 48 hours," said one senior appropriations aide. "It doesn't look good."

Friday loomed as a key day on the legislative calendar for two other bills. Senate leaders filed for cloture Wednesday on energy legislation, signifying a showdown Friday. And supporters of Medicare legislation pinned their hopes on a Friday vote, despite the lack of a finished bill late Wednesday.

The conference committee on the fiscal 2004 omnibus spending bill -- which contains the Commerce-Justice-State, VA-HUD, District of Columbia, Labor-HHS and underlying Agriculture measures -- broke up for House votes last night without having considered Labor-HHS or Agriculture bills, and leaving several individual items open on the other measures.

House Appropriations Committee Chairman Bill Young, R-Fla., said he would discuss with Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, whether to convene another public meeting.

Negotiators on the omnibus spending bill remain divided on Labor Department overtime compensation rules, government competitive sourcing rules, and additional funding for education and other purposes that have thus far kept a final product from completion.

Senate Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Arlen Specter, R-Pa., remains opposed to rule changes promulgated by Labor Secretary Chao that unions argue would throw as many as eight million workers off overtime rolls, and no deal was in sight Wednesday.

Specter said he might not sign the $284 billion omnibus conference report if GOP leaders insist on stripping the Senate amendment to keep workers currently on the rolls from losing their benefits.

Senate Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee ranking member Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, who authored the amendment, and others claimed that the decision on whether to retain the overtime amendment was in President Bush's hands.

In the next day or two, "we'll find out how mean-spirited...this administration will be," said House Education and the Workforce ranking member George Miller, D-Calif. "It'll be a presidential decision." Bush has threatened to veto the measure if the amendment survives.