Pay parity, veterans' issues threaten passage of budget measure

The House was expected to vote on final passage of the fiscal 2005 budget resolution early Thursday evening, with GOP leaders appearing to be headed toward a close victory.

But Republican holdouts remain -- particularly on the veterans' funding issue, with veterans' organizations pressuring Republican lawmakers who have been vocal advocates for veterans. One veterans' lobbyist said he expects at least six Republicans to vote against the budget resolution, including Veterans Affairs Chairman Christopher Smith, R-N.J., who could not be reached for comment. Earlier Thursday, the rule for considering the resolution passed by 221-201 party-line vote. Rep. Walter Jones, R-N.C., said he was a firm "no" vote on the budget resolution.

While defections over veterans' funds alone may be sufficient to kill the budget resolution, other factors are in play. One problematic issue is pay parity between civilian and military federal workers, with Republicans from districts with large concentrations of federal workers pushing to increase pay raises for civilians to the level military employees are allotted. "It's a work in progress," said Government Reform Chairman Tom Davis, R-Va., who was seen walking from the House floor with Majority Whip Roy Blunt, R-Mo., on Thursday after huddling with other pay parity supporters such as Reps. Frank Wolf, R-Va., and James Moran, D-Va. Budget Chairman Nussle risks losing the support of conservatives if he agrees to pay parity. Rep. Tom Feeney, R-Fla., said one condition of his support for the budget resolution was keeping pay parity out, unless the increased costs were offset elsewhere.

While GOP leaders appear to be leaning toward bringing a budget enforcement bill to the floor this year, that has not swayed Republican conservatives such as Rep. John Hostettler of Indiana, who said he was a "no" vote since the resolution would not reduce the deficit fast enough. Rep. Gil Gutknecht, R-Minn., said he was currently a "no" vote, adding, "But we're talking." As for moderates, Rep. Michael Castle, R-Del., is a "no" vote, his spokeswoman said, as he was last year. Castle argues all spending, including defense, as well as tax cuts should have been on the table in order to reduce the deficit.

Republican leaders are confident of victory nonetheless. A Blunt spokeswoman said GOP leaders have fewer disagreements to work through than last year, which makes courting "yes" votes easier. "The world of problems is small," she said.

The House is debating four alternatives prior to a vote on final passage. In order, they are the Congressional Black Caucus budget, followed by the Blue Dog budget, the conservative Republican Study Committee budget, and the Democratic leadership alternative offered by Budget ranking member John Spratt, D-S.C. By presstime, the CBC and Blue Dog budgets were easily defeated. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said today she expected Democrats to unanimously oppose the GOP resolution. "I think we will have 100 percent unity in opposition to the budget on the floor," Pelosi said.