I'd rather see the illegal aliens that drive drunk with no license and insurance be kicked out of the US than an abstract thought of ridding the world of evil.
Just ain't our job..
Speaking of the power you are talking about, the house is talking right now about $75 billion for the war.
Seems a little expensive to me, when there are so many other things that kind of money could used for..
The House Appropriations Committee on Tuesday moved toward approving $74.7 billion that President Bush wants to begin paying for the war with Iraq after rejecting efforts to increase domestic security funds and slash aid to Turkey.
With members of both parties saying they supported the funds, committee approval was all but certain. In a step lauded by Democrats and Republicans alike, the bill denied Bush most of the flexibility he sought in deciding how to spend the money.
"We didn't just create huge slush funds to be used at the discretion of an agency," said the panel's chairman, Rep. Bill Young, R-Fla.
The Senate Appropriations Committee, also led by Republicans, planned to vote on a similar package later in the day that also would put tighter congressional controls on spending. When Bush sent his request to Congress last week, he asked lawmakers to rush the money to him by April 11.
By a straight party-line, 35-28 vote, the House panel defeated an amendment by Rep. David Obey, D-Wis., to add $2.5 billion for tightened security at dams, more aid to state and local emergency agencies, and other domestic safety efforts. The bill already contains $4.2 billion for domestic security initiatives.
"Are we going to batten down the hatches sufficiently?" Obey asked.
Republicans said there was sufficient money in the bill, which is for the remaining half of the government's budget year.
"We're not shoveling money out just to say we're shoveling money out," said Rep. Harold Rogers, R-Ky.
By voice vote, the committee rejected an amendment by Rep. Randy Cunningham, R-Calif., that would have shifted the $1 billion in aid to Turkey the bill provides to domestic security programs.
Cunningham said that by closing its borders to U.S. forces invading Iraq, Turkey had "cost American and allied blood and time and money." But opponents from both parties said now was no time to lash out at Turkey, which is normally a steadfast U.S. ally.
For the most part, the House plan followed the broad outlines that Bush requested. It would provide $62.5 billion of the $62.6 billion he proposed for the Pentagon (news - web sites) and classified activities; $200 million more than the $7.8 billion he requested for foreign aid; and $69 million less than the nearly $4.3 billion he proposed for tightening security at home.
But the House measure would greatly restrict Bush's proposal for large pools of money that the administration could spend with little control by lawmakers. That reflects a long-standing desire by lawmakers of both parties to protect Congress's power to control spending.
Of the $62.6 billion that Bush asked for the Pentagon, he wanted to give Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld broad discretion over $59.9 billion. For example, $53.4 billion could be used by Rumsfeld "for military operations in Iraq and the global war on terrorism."
Instead, the House package would give Bush wide flexibility over just $27.7 billion, though he would have to notify Congress at least seven days before spending it. The House bill would distribute the rest to specific budget accounts, such as $10.5 billion for Army operations and maintenance.
In a report accompanying the bill, the committee wrote that Bush's plan for broader leeway "creates an unwieldy, financial behemoth that frustrates both congressional and departmental oversight."
The House package also breaks up other, smaller funds Bush had proposed. A broad $1.5 billion counterterrorism fund he wanted the Department of Homeland Security to control would instead be divided among the Coast Guard, the Transportation Security Administration and other agencies that are part of the new department.
And a $500 million Justice Department (news - web sites) counterterrorism fund would be reduced to $50 million, with that going mostly to the FBI (news - web sites).
Bush's request to distribute $2 billion to state and local police and emergency agencies would be increased to $2.2 billion. Democrats planned to offer amendments boosting that spending.
Initially, the House package contained no aid for the nation's financially struggling airlines. But an amendment providing $3.2 billion for the air carriers was expected.
House Majority Leader Tom DeLay of Texas said Speaker Dennis Hastert of Illinois had led efforts to help the airlines. DeLay said the money would reimburse airlines for the new security measures demanded by the government.
"You cannot call this a bailout," DeLay said. "I believe that the industry needs to work through their market problems on their own."
The Senate committee's bill also was expected to be near the president's proposed price tag. The Senate was planning to add about $2 billion for airlines for installation of reinforced cockpit doors and government-backed war risk insurance. |
