Appropriations leaders urge against catch-all spending bill

House Appropriations Chairman Jerry Lewis, R-Calif., and Senate Appropriations Chairman Thad Cochran, R-Miss., have lodged a formal plea with GOP leaders to avoid bundling together unfinished fiscal 2007 spending bills into an omnibus package after the elections.

"It is our belief that omnibus legislation that bypasses the regular order is not in the best interests of the Congress, or ultimately the taxpayer," Lewis and Cochran wrote in a letter Monday to House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn.

An omnibus appears to be the current strategy, however, to avoid working straight through until Thanksgiving and beyond. "Something's gotta give," a senior GOP aide said.

The $447.6 billion fiscal 2007 Defense spending bill contains a continuing resolution for all agencies funded by unfinished spending bills, lasting through Nov. 17. Beyond that bill, the only other spending bill likely to be approved before the end of the fiscal year this Saturday is the Homeland Security spending measure, although that faces unrelated snags.

Democrats lambasted the GOP Wednesday for failing to adopt a fiscal 2007 budget resolution or complete 10 out of 12 appropriations bills. "This Republican leadership is in total gridlock -- refusing to act, refusing to compromise, and refusing to govern," said Senate Budget ranking member Kent Conrad, D-N.D.