With the end of the 105th Congress looming, House Appropriations Committee Chairman Bob Livingston, R-La., sounded an encouraging note today about prospects for Republican congressional leaders and the White House working out their disagreements on the remaining fiscal 1999 appropriations bills "without undue difficulty."
Following the weekly Republican Conference meeting, Livingston said there are "fewer than 10" major outstanding issues and predicted they "will be resolved in the coming days."
Republican Conference Chairman John Boehner of Ohio later added that if the president vetoes the omnibus appropriations bill Congress is expected to pass this weekend, Republicans will then send him a clean continuing resolution to keep the federal government funded rather than allow another government shutdown.
House Appropriations ranking member David Obey, D-Wis., said negotiators still are trying to define the major positions of each side. "Sooner or later, people are going to have to stop huffing and puffing and get practical," he said.
Several crucial decisions may be made later today, when White House Chief of Staff Erskine Bowles meets with GOP leaders.
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