House GOP leader may accept some additional spending in budget
Emergency funds, such as as $3 billion for border security, could be added to omnibus spending bill.
House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, said Tuesday he could live with some added emergency funds that Democrats want, as the majority considers a new omnibus spending bill that limits all other federal spending to President Bush's top-line of $933 billion.
Initially Democrats had planned a bill that split the difference between their budget and Bush's, for a total of $944 billion, but that drew a veto threat over the weekend because, after factoring in $7 billion more in emergency funds, the measure would be $18 billion above Bush's request.
Most of that funding has either been requested by Bush or backed solidly by Republicans, however, and Boehner said he would take a look at it.
"It all passes the straight-face test," he told reporters, although a spokesman later stressed that Boehner had not seen the legislation and that some of the items could prove objectionable.
His spokesman said Boehner could support items such as $3 billion for border security, $622 million for drought relief in the Southeast and $300 million for wildfire suppression, which his spokesman said were "true emergencies" that Boehner has supported. "Until he sees the final package, he will reserve judgment on the 'emergency spending' the Democrats decide to include in the bill," the spokesman said.
Other items that had been on the table include $2.4 billion for State Department and foreign aid requests, mostly submitted by the Bush administration, as well as $146 million to implement Bush's cybersecurity initiative; $400 million to cover a shortfall in the major nutrition program for poor women, children and infants; $250 million for low-income heating aid; $195 million to rebuild the collapsed I-35W bridge in Minneapolis; $100 million for security at next year's presidential conventions; and $57 million for health care for workers who helped clear the debris around the World Trade Center after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
In his weekend veto threat, OMB Director Nussle did not specify which items he opposed. An OMB spokesman said Tuesday "it would be premature to hypothesize" about what is in the package until it is passed and sent to the president.
House Appropriations Chairman David Obey, D-Wisc., said all members' earmarks would have to be eliminated to help get down to the $933 billion level. Boehner, who does not request earmarks, was not buying that plan.
"We've heard those threats from the chairman of the Appropriations Committee before," Boehner said. He was backed up at his news conference by several other members of the House GOP leadership, all of whom secured earmarks in fiscal 2008 spending bills, and he appeared uncomfortable with the line of questioning.
"I'm also not here to say all earmarks are bad," he said. "This is an idle threat thrown out by the chairman of the Appropriations Committee. I don't think it's sustainable on his part."
Obey's spokeswoman reiterated that it is not an idle threat, however, and it appears to have the blessing of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. Reid Tuesday continued to express hope for a compromise, but he acknowledged the chances were dimming.
"The hopes do not appear as hopeful as I would like them [to be]," Reid said, adding that a continuing resolution lasting "a matter of days" would be necessary to keep the government running beyond the current CR's expiration Friday. Republicans still are trying to add emergency war funding to the package, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said he would offer an amendment adding $70 billion in war spending when the bill comes over from the House.