Stopgap measure might hitch a ride on Interior spending bill

A continuing resolution being drafted by the House Appropriations Committee would keep the federal government running likely through Dec. 15 and could be included as part of the fiscal 2010 Interior-Environment Appropriations conference report.

House and Senate negotiators working to finalize the Interior-Environment measure were given the word Thursday to conclude talks.

"We are trying to wrap things up," said House Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Norman Dicks, D-Wash., adding discussions on including the CR were ongoing. The House could name conferees as soon as Friday.

House Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee ranking member Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, said conferees are reasonably close and should not have too much trouble finishing.

One issue remaining is whether the EPA may regulate emissions of ships operating on the Great Lakes, Simpson said.

Senate Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee Chairwoman Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., said she also has heard CR might hitch a ride.

"At the chairman's meeting [Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.] mentioned that they might well do that," Feinstein said. "We'll see. It's a possibility."

She said she would have no objection to the move. "It has to go somewhere, so it's not a problem from that perspective," Feinstein said.

Reid said late Thursday evening the Senate would consider next week the CR, Commerce-Justice-Science bill and the Military Construction-VA bill.

The Senate last month approved a $32.1 billion, fiscal 2010 Interior-Environment bill, while the House in June approved a $32.3 billion measure.

Congress will need to clear the CR by next week because the current funding extension expires at the end of the month.

House and Senate negotiators are also working on reconciling differences between their versions of the fiscal 2010 Defense bill and the fiscal 2010 Transportation-HUD measure.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said Thursday Senate Democratic leaders are considering including an increase in the debt limit in the fiscal 2010 Defense bill, a boost above the increase to $13 trillion approved by the House as part of the fiscal 2010 budget resolution.

"I talked to them briefly about it, that is why I know it is a possibility," Hoyer said, adding, "We'll have to see what the Senate does and then we'll respond to it."

Senate Democratic leaders could choose to boost the debt ceiling by enough to avoid having to deal with it before the November election next year.

Under the increase adopted by the House as part of the fiscal 2010 budget resolution, another increase would be needed sometime next summer, said House Budget Committee Chairman John Spratt, D-S.C.

"Really, the call lies with the Senate," Spratt said.

Meanwhile, members are increasingly talking about having to wrap up the appropriations process in an omnibus.

Senate Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., said Thursday GOP cooperation will likely be the deciding factor and he hopes Democratic leaders can avoid an omnibus. "I think [an omnibus] would be shame; we've got to get cooperation from Republicans," Dorgan said.

Dan Friedman contributed to this report.