Government Stays Open

Hardline Republicans--and to a lesser degree the Clinton administration--have stalled talks over key issues that continue to bog down remaining appropriations bills, House Appropriations ranking member David Obey, D-Wis., said Wednesday as the House passed a continuing resolution needed to keep the government operating.

The House passed the CR by voice vote on Wednesday; the Senate unanimously agreed to it and President Clinton signed it Thursday.

"There's absolutely no reason for this continuing resolution to be here," Obey said, contending that Republicans have been unwilling to move on key issues. "Virtually nothing has happened since we passed the last continuing resolution." He later added, "You have a few folks around this town who would rather hold their breath and turn blue rather than do the people's work."

Obey and others have identified four key issues causing trouble: education testing, education vouchers for children in the District of Columbia, census sampling language, and family planning funds for international family planning groups. Obey said both sides on the family planning issue have dug in their heels, making any compromise difficult. He said some Republicans are willing to hold up the entire D.C. budget rather than compromise on the vouchers issue.

However, Obey also criticized the Clinton administration for raising last-minute objections to the Interior conference report, although he added that he too finds a provision dealing with an Alaska lake particularly objectionable. A Democratic source added that there has been little movement on the census or testing issues. Obey also took a shot at Republicans, saying that Senate GOP members want to keep the Senate in session into early November to ensure good attendance at a fundraising dinner.

Appropriations Chairman Bob Livingston, R-La., said he hopes an agreement can be reached on the education testing issue and on the Labor- HHS bill by the end of the week, and that the census and family planning disputes remain a "leadership" issue. He said he is not sure how the vouchers issue will be resolved. Meanwhile, Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Calif., did not challenge a provision in the CR extending a controversial immigration provision in anticipation of a separate vote on that issue.