House Republican Presses Case For Supplemental Markup

Fri. May 2, 2008


As Senate Appropriations Chairman Robert Byrd prepares to mark up supplemental appropriations legislation next week that would fund the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, House Appropriations ranking member Jerry Lewis Thursday beseeched his panel's chairman to follow Byrd's lead.

"Sen. Byrd, who recognizes the slippery slope involved in circumventing the well-established rules and precedents of the Appropriations Committee, has scheduled a full Senate Appropriations Committee markup for the week of May 5," Lewis said in a Thursday letter to House Appropriations Chairman David Obey. "We urge you in the strongest possible terms to follow Sen. Byrd's example and schedule a committee markup in the House at the earliest possible date."

Lewis's letter comes as House and Senate Democratic leaders are considering whether to use the never-enacted FY08 Military Construction-VA Appropriations bill as a vehicle for the war supplemental and other provisions, sources on both sides of the Capitol said Tuesday.

The bill would function as a "shell" that would allow Democrats to avoid the usual committee process in both chambers and a formal House-Senate conference.

House Democrats would avoid giving Republicans a shot at procedural motions on the bill during floor votes. The specifics of the MilCon measure were eventually wrapped into an omnibus appropriations bill at the end of last year.

"We are extremely troubled by the fact that under this scheme no member of the House will be afforded the opportunity to offer amendments in full Committee or on the House floor while senators in the other body will be given the opportunity to let their constituent's voice be heard," said Lewis, who has sent two previous letters to Obey.

Senior House leadership aide conceded that there is less reason the use the "shell" tactic if the Senate marks up a supplemental bill.

House Speaker Pelosi stressed Thursday that no final decisions had been made on the bill.

"Our goal is to move a supplemental as soon as we can, a supplemental that the president can sign; that is the goal," she said. "Now, there are other equities to be weighed, other than just the president's wish to have just what he asked for in the bill; and that is what is happening now. But no decisions have been made on that. When they are, you will know."

President Bush this week reiterated that he would veto the supplemental spending bill if it ties the hands of military leaders or spends more than he requested. The bill is expected to total at least $178 billion, including $108 billion for this year's war costs and a $70 billion bridge fund for FY09.

But despite the veto threat, Democratic leaders are considering adding to the bill to fund programs that reflect Democratic priorities, such as extending unemployment insurance.

Rhode Island Republican Gov. Donald Carcieri and Oklahoma Democratic Gov. Brad Henry, on behalf of the National Governors Association, wrote the House and Senate tax committees Thursday in favor of extending unemployment benefits.

"In the last month, 36 states experienced an increase in the unemployment rate," the governors said. "The national unemployment rate increased to 5.1 percent in March 2008. Most notable, however, is the significant number of individuals that are unemployed for 27 weeks or longer, thus exhausting all unemployment benefits. Today, approximately 16.7 percent of jobless individuals are experiencing long-term unemployment compared to approximately 11 percent at the beginning of the last recession."

Calls to Obey's and Senate Majority Leader Reid's offices were not returned by presstime.

by Humberto Sanchez and Christian Bourge

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