Returning from a month-long August recess, Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., Monday said Senators should expect a busy schedule this week as the 105th Congress pushes toward a scheduled adjournment early next month.
Before adjourning, Lott said the Senate will focus on tax cuts and tax extenders, agriculture, bankruptcy reform, missile defense, the comprehensive trade bill, and appropriations bills.
"And all this in about five weeks or so," Lott said in a speech on the Senate floor. "I was asked during the August recess by senators if we're really going to work this week. The answer is absolutely yes. We will work seriously Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday." Lott added, "Not only will we be having votes, but I'm going to make sure we'll be having votes, probably more than normal, just to bring the point home clearly."
The Senate will debate the fiscal 1999 Foreign Operations appropriations bill Tuesday and Wednesday. While there were no roll call votes Monday, the Senate Tuesday will vote on the fiscal 1999 Military Construction appropriations conference report. On Wednesday, the Senate will vote on a bill dealing with low-level radioactive waste disposal in Texas.
Lott warned Democrats not to push the federal government to the brink of a government shutdown by refusing to cooperate on passing the annual appropriations bills by the end of September.
He said he is worried that Democrats have adopted a strategy of "stall, complain and blame," while adding he is concerned that President Clinton may veto funding bills because they do not contain enough spending.
"We had his word on the budget before the American people," Lott said. "We will now see what his word is worth."
Lott contended that it will be "harder for the Democrats to fool the American people this time" if the government shuts down.
While House Republicans have been insisting that virtually all domestic spending increases be offset by cuts elsewhere, Lott said the Senate might classify certain additional spending as emergency expenditures.
"There are a lot of issues we will have to consider on an emergency basis," he said, citing embassy safety, year 2000 computer problems, hurricane disaster relief, the Bosnia mission and defense needs as possibilities.
House Republicans have been reluctant to classify any domestic spending as an emergency.
In a related development, the CBO Monday officially released its August budget update, projecting a $63 billion surplus for FY98, an $80 billion surplus for FY99 and a $251 billion surplus by 2008.
Excluding the Social Security surplus, the federal government will run a $41 billion deficit this year, leading to surpluses in 2002, the CBO said.
The budget office said that "unexpectedly strong revenue collections" led to an increase in surplus estimates from $8 billion in March to $63 billion at present.