House Republicans failed to enforce their new policy of passing "clean" appropriations bills the first time out -- on the disaster supplemental spending bill -- and that resulted in the bill stalling before the Memorial Day recess, House Appropriations Chairman Livingston said today.
Including unrelated language in the supplemental "is an indication that sometimes rules are not evenly applied," Livingston said. "The rules are good. It's time we live by them."
Livingston and House GOP leaders clashed last week after the supplemental bill stalled over non-appropriations language. He attempted to bring up a stripped-down version of the bill without the extraneous language, but was blocked by GOP leaders who wanted provisions ranging from census restrictions to an automatic continuing resolution included.
He said GOP leaders indicated earlier this year that appropriations measures would not contain unrelated controversial items.
The supplemental appropriations measure was not a "strong enough vehicle" on which to attach the unrelated issues, Livingston said, adding that passage of the bill was important because people need the funds and it looks bad politically for it to remain stalled.
"It's important to get this money out," he said. Discussing the insistence of some that the provisions remain, he said, "Sometimes you can stamp your feet so many times and you don't change the world."
He said that "all of the members of the Republican leadership are my friends," adding that occasionally he and the leadership take different views of how legislation should be crafted.
A separate problem with the supplemental bill, Livingston said, was that Senate appropriators failed to attend some of the conference meetings. "It has been a less-than-prominent problem, but it has been a problem," he said. "It's tough to negotiate when some of your people don't show up."
Nonetheless, Livingston said he is confident Congress will pass the spending measure shortly after returning. Conferees are likely to meet Wednesday, with a possible conference agreement going to the floor at the end of next week or the following week, he said.
Livingston said he believes Senate Appropriations Chairman Stevens and the Clinton administration are trying to work out differences over language governing road construction on federal lands.
He said Republicans also feel strongly about census language in the appropriations measure, but hinted that could be added to some other bill. Livingston said he is still not certain how the most contentious issue -- language that would implement an automatic CR if appropriations measures are not passed -- will be decided.
"It's for others to decide," he said. "I'm at a loss to make a prediction."
President Clinton has threatened to veto the measure over the CR language.
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