Appropriations panels rap USDA management
House, Senate committees limit spending inititatives, criticize department's budget submission.
Both Senate and House Agriculture Appropriations subcommittees have sharply criticized Agriculture Secretary Veneman's management of her department in addressing their versions of the fiscal 2005 USDA appropriations bill.
The House passed its version of the bill at a cost of $83.7 billion in combined mandatory and discretionary spending in mid-July, while the Senate's $84.1 billion version has only been approved by the Appropriations Committee.
The House bill forbids USDA from transferring funds from other accounts to the Office of the Chief Information Officer. House Appropriations ranking member David Obey, D-Wis., convinced a bipartisan committee majority to insert that language after the Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee learned USDA had transferred "millions of dollars" to the agency in violation of congressional directives.
"We are currently reviewing the Obey amendment and working with appropriators on the issues," said Veneman's spokeswoman.
The House committee also criticized the way in which USDA submitted its budget materials, saying it was not "useful in the deliberations of the committee" and directed Veneman to submit the next budget in the format used in fiscal 2002.
A spokeswoman for Veneman said USDA was following the administration's preference, but "will work with appropriators on a format that is useful to them and highlights the president's goals."
Additionally, the Senate Appropriations Committee said it was concerned that USDA officials never responded to questions submitted during budget hearings. "Failure to respond has affected the requests for specific programs and policy initiatives," the Senate report said.
The Agriculture spending package is expected to be rolled into an omnibus appropriations measure during a lame-duck session of Congress after the elections.