Homeland security concerns may derail long-term spending measure

While there is increasing talk on Capitol Hill that Congress will adjourn Oct. 11 and pass a continuing resolution stretching into December or next year, House Republican leaders are quietly discussing the possibility of a CR lasting a few weeks at best-with no adjournment-if the Homeland Security Department bill is not finished.

The bill is at a standstill in the Senate, where Republicans are insisting on a clean, up-or-down vote on a White House-backed amendment offered by Sens. Phil Gramm, R-Texas, and Zell Miller, D-Ga. Democratic leaders are refusing their demands, believing they have just enough support to pass a competing amendment by Sens. John Breaux, D-La., Ben Nelson, D-Neb., and Lincoln Chafee, R-R.I., which President Bush promises to veto.

According to senior House GOP aides, there are doubts in the leadership about whether Bush, who rarely speaks without emphasizing the importance of creating a new Homeland Security Department, would sign a CR after Oct. 11 that punts the issue months into the future. And there is concern about voter reaction if Congress were to adjourn without finishing what both Democrats and Republicans tout as a national security priority.

"If the president says we must do the homeland security bill, we would want to support that," said one leadership aide. If Congress adjourned without finishing the bill, "it would be hard to defend that position before the American people," he added.

Bush aides Friday declined to comment on what type of CR Bush would sign after Oct. 11. But one senior White House official indicated talks are continuing that could wrap up the homeland security debate quickly.

"There is still a potential that there could be an acceptable compromise with Breaux, Nelson and Chafee," the White House official said.

GOP leadership aides had differing opinions on whether the homeland security bill would derail a CR extending into a new session next year.

"The main talk is about a CR until November," said one senior House Republican aide, citing both demands by appropriators that they be allowed to finish their work, as well as the need for a homeland security bill.

Another leadership aide disagreed. "Mostly the discussion is about January or February," he said. "But without a doubt, homeland security is a curve ball."

Another GOP leadership aide suggested that if the Senate approves a bill within the next two weeks and a conference begins, week-to-week CRs would be an option. If the Breaux-Nelson-Chafee amendment passes, a quick deal before Oct. 11 would be impossible, he and other top aides said, because the bill is so unacceptable to House GOP leaders.

Under this scenario, conferees would return to Washington to negotiate a couple of days a week, while the rest of Congress campaigned full-time after Oct. 11. The option would have the political advantage for Republicans of keeping homeland security front-and-center, while diminishing topics Democrats want to put before voters, such as Social Security, prescription drugs for seniors, and pension reform.