GOP Clears Way For Spending Bill Vote

[leftchick]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=512&ncid=716&e=2&u=/ap/20040122/ap_on_go_co/congress_spending

<snip>
WASHINGTON - Majority Republicans in the Senate forced Democrats Thursday to stop blocking a long-delayed $373 billion bill financing a vast swath of government and moved to the brink of passing the measure handing a bushel of victories to President Bush.


Senators voted 61-32 to end the slowdown tactics — one more than the 60 needed — clearing the way for a vote on final passage considered sure to succeed. The House voted in December to approve the legislation, which carries money for agriculture, veterans and most other domestic programs for the budget year that began Oct. 1 — nearly four months ago.


The Senate had voted Tuesday 48-45 to keep the delays going, with many Democrats angry about overtime pay, food labeling and other controversies the measure addresses. But with the White House and GOP lawmakers adamant about not changing the measure, enough Democrats succumbed to its tons of home-state projects and spending boosts for popular programs.


"That's a tough position for anybody to be in, especially people in politics," Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., said Thursday, referring to the choice many Democrats faced between popular programs and policies they oppose.

[arcane1]

1. 61-32: one more than the 60 needed

:grr:

doesn't this bill have something in it that invalitates the ban on media consolidation? And something about the 40-hour work week? And MORE???


it's over :(

[Robbien]

3. It is not over until it is over

202-224-3121 Call your Senators and tell them that we do not want this pork laden bill and that we want free press and fair labor practices.

[David__77]

2. Daschle needs to think twice before speaking.

He should not give in to selfish rationales. Unity is the only thing that works.

[zbdent]

4. Wow, the GOP "clears the way" - after the Dems announce

that they will not block the vote any longer.

Damn that liberal media bias.

[LisaM]

5. Who sponosored this nonsense?

I called my own Senators' offices (Murray and Cantwell) and gave them an earful. But I would like to speak directly to the office of the person who put in that overtime crap and demand some answers. Ditto the media merger issue, which the public made very clear they did not support last year when the FCC held their hearings.