Appropriations – Lewis urging Republicans to oppose CR
By Peter Cohn
Congress Daily
January 31, 2007
House Appropriations ranking member Jerry Lewis, R-Calif., is urging Republicans to oppose the massive $463.5 billion FY07 spending bill headed to the floor today, breaking the spending panel's tradition of bipartisan comity.
At a Republican Conference meeting Tuesday morning, Lewis urged its members to join him in opposing the bill, according to aides who were present. Later in the day testifying before the House Rules Committee, Lewis was clearly rankled at being left out of the negotiations.
"I regret that for the first time in nearly two decades I must testify in opposition to what the committee has filed for consideration in the House," Lewis said. "It's the first omnibus spending bill that I have seen during my time in Congress written and considered without the input of the chairmen or ranking members of any of the Appropriations subcommittees, without the input of any of the Republican or Democratic subcommittee members" and without fuller debate and amendments in the Appropriations Committee and on the floor.
Most of the negotiations were conducted by staff, House Appropriations Chairman Obey replied. When matters became difficult, members got involved. Senate Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee ranking member Pete Domenici, R-N.M., hung up on House Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Peter Visclosky, D-Ind., during one testy exchange.
"We certainly consulted our subcommittee chairs. If they didn't consult their ranking members I can't help that," Obey said.
Underlying the process was the fact that Democrats were faced with major unfinished business left by the GOP-controlled 109th Congress -- nine FY07 spending bills. "If the majority party had exercised its responsibility, we wouldn't be here," Obey said. "I think that's what the [Republican] party wants, to see us mired in last year's work."
Lewis' stance on the bill puts rank-and-file Republicans like Reps. Christopher Shays of Connecticut and Dave Reichert of Washington, who petitioned Democratic leaders for additional health and education funds, in a bind. Lewis is in a position to be helpful to GOP moderates facing tough re-election fights, but Obey and Democratic leaders agreed to add nearly $2.5 billion for programs funded under the Labor-HHS bill -- making it difficult for the moderates to oppose.
While the funding resolution is almost certain to pass, Lewis might pull about three-quarters of the Republican Conference with him. On a procedural vote, in which he could seek to add back funds Democrats cut from base realignment and closure funds and used to boost funding for Pell Grants and community health centers, rank-and-file Republicans might face pressure to stand with Lewis and GOP leaders.
Republican conservatives are likely to oppose the bill under any circumstances, since it spends about $6.2 billion more than if Democrats had adhered to a strict funding formula under a traditional continuing resolution. A memo to Republicans from House Budget ranking member Paul Ryan, R-Wis., refers to the bill as "The Omnibus in CR's Clothing." He criticized the measure for picking "winners and losers" and for using such "gimmicks" as rescinding $3.5 billion in unspent highway funds that CBO has said does not produce actual savings.
Democrats added about $16 billion for favored programs on both sides of the aisle, from smaller accounts such as free legal aid to the poor to $3.6 billion for veterans' health. They were able to stay within budget caps by using the extra $6 billion available by using FY06 spending levels as a baseline, then cutting about $10 billion from various accounts and unspent balances.
Base realignment and closure cuts are causing the biggest rumblings. In a Statement of Administration Policy, the White House said the $3 billion cut from its request would "delay or postpone scheduled redeployments of military personnel and their families from overseas stations to the United States, and negatively impact many communities throughout the country" preparing for the base-closing process.
In the Senate, GOP defense hawks and others are nervous they will be prevented from offering amendments. Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., said despite the bill's prohibition on new earmarks, it does not do enough to get rid of old ones.
"They're going to try to preclude us from having any amendments," Coburn said, citing a tactic known as "filling the tree" in which the majority can block amendments.
"It's pretty heavy-handed to bring a bill that's going to spend $463 billion to the floor and not allow any amendments," added Budget ranking member Judd Gregg, R-N.H.
While Majority Leader Reid did not directly say he would block amendments, he told reporters "this piece of legislation is really different" from other bills in that "we have to do it by Feb. 14 or the government closes down."
The existing funding resolution expires the following day. "So I'm not being Mr. Nice Guy on this piece of legislation," Reid said.
Senator Tom Coburn
Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, and International Security
340 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510
Phone: 202-224-2254 Fax: 202-228-3796
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