House plans action on $9B supplemental budget bill

Despite continued opposition from Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., to moving a stand alone fiscal 2000 supplemental bill, the House remains on track to vote on the $9 billion spending package this week, with a Rules Committee hearing scheduled for 5 p.m. Tuesday and floor action Wednesday.

A spokeswoman for the Senate Appropriations Committee said the panel still intends to mark up a version of the legislation, which contains money for anti-drug activities in Colombia, peacekeeping in Kosovo, disaster aid to farmers and emergency funds to pay for home heating oil in the Northeast, once the House acts.

If Lott does not take up the fiscal 2000 supplemental, House Speaker Denny Hastert, R-Ill., this weekend told "Fox News Sunday" he would consider moving pieces of the package in the regular fiscal 2001 appropriations bills.