While he attempted to quell the jitters over continuing budget battles, Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., today accused the Clinton administration of falsely claiming the budget accord will increase spending in eight specific areas.
"I think the best way to proceed on this is calmly," Lott told reporters, in discussing the ongoing disputes over what exactly is contained in the budget deal announced last week. "We're keeping our cool. The administration should keep theirs."
However, Lott also released a list of "false claims" he said the administration has made in press releases about the deal, contending many of the areas are so detailed they cannot be included in any broad budget agreement and must be left up to appropriators.
Lott said the administration is claiming that the accord calls for a 9 percent increase in Environmental Protection Agency enforcement, increases for several national park programs, $668 million for energy efficiency and $330 million for solar energy -- all areas Lott says are not part of the accord.
In addition, Lott said that, contrary to administration claims, the negotiators have not agreed beneficiaries can enroll in Medigap plans annually without being excluded because of pre-existing conditions -- and have not agreed to implement prospective payment systems for skilled nursing homes, home health and hospital outpatient departments. He also said no agreement has been reached on increasing the maximum Pell Grant and the Head Start and college work-study programs.
"You can't get to that degree of specificity in a budget resolution," Lott said, adding that the administration has agreed to stop making such claims. He said there have been misunderstandings on both sides about the agreement. "Will there be bumps along the road? Of course," he said. Lott said he is not certain whether the parties will sign an addendum outlining parts of the deal, but added that even if they do, "it is not binding on the legislative committees."
Meanwhile, continuing discussions center on several points. Negotiators are attempting to determine whether they should have a floor strategy of uniting to defeat any amendments to the plan -- a proposal Lott said he is not certain will be adopted. The budget negotiators are still discussing whether low-income Medicare recipients will be required to pay higher premiums, as well as budget process issues and discretionary spending levels. The negotiators also are discussing timing issues surrounding the reconciliation and appropriations bills.
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