Durbin Eyes Additional Food Aid, Seeks Assist From Rice

Tue. Apr. 29, 2008


Senate Majority Whip Durbin wants President Bush to add $200 million in emergency food aid to the Iraq supplemental spending bill and is counting on Secretary of State Rice to shore up support in the White House and among congressional Republicans.

Durbin and Sen. Robert Casey Jr., D-Pa., held a news conference Monday afternoon to call for more food aid on top of the $350 million Bush is requesting. Bush has vowed to veto the bill if it exceeds the $108 billion Iraq package he proposed, but Durbin said he hoped Rice’s support will persuade the president to make an exception.

He also said Rice’s backing will be crucial to winning the backing of Senate Republicans.

“Until we receive it, it’s going to be difficult to recruit a lot of Republican support for this,” Durbin said. Asked whether Rice would lobby on his behalf to Senate Republicans, he replied, “I hope so.”

Durbin said Rice suggested in two recent conversations that she supports additional funding for food programs, but she stopped short of saying she would support the $200 million total.

Durbin said he has discussed the funds with Senate Majority Leader Reid and House Speaker Pelosi, but indicated they are concerned over Bush’s veto threat.

House Democratic leadership sources said funding for the global food program has been discussed, but final decisions about what to include in the package have not been made.

Pelosi and other Democratic House leaders are scheduled to meet this afternoon to work out details of a package that can come to the House for quick consideration.

“Expectations are we will be on the floor next week,” a Democratic leadership aide said. “I think everyone recognizes we need to get it done.”

In response to a question, Durbin, a longtime backer of ethanol production from a corn-producing state, favored an investigation into the impact on food prices of corn grown for fuel.

“I think we ought to take an honest look at it,” Durbin said. “I can’t imagine that using corn for ethanol in Illinois is going to raise the price of rice, which has happened dramatically around the world,” Durbin said.

In addition to extra money in the supplemental, Durbin said he will push for more food aid in appropriations for the next fiscal year this session.

He saw the irony of supporting a war spending measure he vehemently opposes if it means he can get the food aid.

“Many times you find yourself faced with a dilemma of trying to achieve that goal at the expense of something else that’s very important to you,” Durbin said of the war. “I hope it doesn’t come down to that, but that’s the best I can tell you right at this moment.”

Outside of an anticipated $180 billion in war funding to carry U.S. military operations through the first several months of 2009, House leaders are expected to add about $12 billion for 13 extra weeks of unemployment benefits and funding to boost GI education spending that has broad bipartisan support.

The leaders are considering adding one-time payments to Filipino veterans of World War II. The Senate approved a bill Thursday that would expand benefits. In addition, House Democrats are looking to add $3 billion to $4 billion in domestic spending in various areas, including money to cover shortfalls in the Women, Infants and Children nutritional program and for census programs.

An OMB spokesman the Agriculture Department has made it clear to House Democrats that it will transfer funds from the Food Stamp contingency fund to make up for shortfalls in the WIC program.

The spokesman added that the administration has not asked for Census money in the supplemental.

“The additional money that the administration requests for the Census in FY09 will be fully offset within overall spending levels through an FY09 budget amendment,” the spokesman said.

by Ben Schneider and Christian Bourge

Tue. Apr. 29, 2008

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