Senate Republicans are hoping the Clinton administration can convince Senate Democrats to go along with the FY97 omnibus spending bill without much of a fuss, a key GOP aide said Tuesday.
House and Senate appropriators planned to complete informal work on various subcommittee spending levels late Tuesday and then send the omnibus appropriations proposal to the Clinton administration for review. "We hope the administration will keep their senators informed," the Republican aide contended.
With FY97 starting next Tuesday, and with Republican leaders looking to keep to the target adjournment date of this Friday so members can go home and campaign, Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., earlier Tuesday said he would prefer to begin debating the massive wrapup appropriations package on the Senate floor even before the House sends it over. However, Senate Democrats Tuesday continued to insist they will not enter into any time agreement for Senate floor consideration of the omnibus spending measure until they see the entire package. And Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., went so far as to suggest a short-term continuing resolution might be needed to keep large parts of the government open past next Monday, when FY96 ends, so negotiators can come to a final agreement on the FY97 omnibus package.
"Sen. Lott doesn't want to shut down the government and neither do we," Daschle said. He contended it is becoming "less and less likely" Congress will be able to complete its work this week, as scheduled, and adjourn for the year. "It's possible," Daschle said. "It's just not probable."
Daschle reiterated that "it is very important that we have the opportunity to offer amendments." He said there would have to be "almost unanimous support" for the omnibus spending bill in order for Democrats to agree to consider the omnibus appropriations legislation as part of the FY97 Defense appropriations conference report.
Democrats want to see the omnibus spending bill before they agree to the conditions under which the bill would be considered, with Daschle noting, "Until we see the bill, it would be very difficult for us to come to any conclusion."
While he agreed that Democrats have been part of the negotiations on the spending bill, he added, "They've been involved, but that doesn't mean all the issues are going to be resolved."
Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., noted the sheer size of the package requires that senators be given time to examine it. "This looks like it will be the mother of all CRs," he said, adding that Senate leaders must reach a "unique balancing act" to allow some amendments to be offered.
Dorgan agreed that Democrats are being consulted, while adding: "But not everybody's involved ... We've got 47 members of the caucus and we don't have 47 members there."
Daschle also said that some non-appropriations issues still may bog down the omnibus package.
He said, for example, Democrats still have some concerns about the immigration reform bill and anti-terrorism initiatives, two proposals that could be added to the spending legislation. However, the Senate GOP aide said that because the omnibus spending package is a work in progress, it would be difficult to wait until the whole plan is put together to enter into time agreements.
The aide said the Senate could be forced to pass the omnibus spending bill just hours before the fiscal year ends Monday.
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