Janus
4th April 2006, 00:25
Originally posted by AP Press+--> (AP Press)The price tag for must-pass legislation to pay for the war in Iraq and additional hurricane relief is expected to pass $100 billion after action by a Senate panel Tuesday.
Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Thad Cochran, R-Miss., is pushing to significantly boost President Bush's latest request for hurricane relief, while committee Democrats are poised to win almost $4 billion in agriculture disaster aid.
The bill generally grants Bush's $72 billion request for military operations, intelligence gathering and foreign aid related to the ongoing Iraq and Afghanistan missions but would boost his $19 billion request for hurricane relief by $4.6 billion.
Among the add-ons is $700 million to relocate a freight rail line in Mississippi further inland, away from hurricane threats. Katrina destroyed the existing line, owned by CSX Transportation, which is located directly on the coast. It has since been rebuilt at a cost of $300 million to CSX and its insurers. The funding would buy the existing rail line, and then CSX would use the money to finance construction of the new one.
The bill also boosts Bush's request for $4.2 billion in community development block grants by about $1 billion. Louisiana is expected to receive the bulk of the funds, which would generally go toward rebuilding homes and apartments destroyed or damaged by storm surges and levee breaks.
With hurricane season looming, the bill also contains $2 billion to repair and rebuild levees and other flood control projects, which comes on top of $2 billion approved last year. But the administration now admits that earlier cost estimates proved too low and that almost $6 billion more will be needed.
On Iraq and Afghanistan, $67.8 billion goes to the Defense Department for operations and logistics, fuel, replacing equipment damaged by harsh conditions, supporting Iraqi forces and classified intelligence activities. More than $4 billion in foreign aid is also included, including $3.1 billion for Iraq.
The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that $320 billion has been spent on Iraq and Afghanistan since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, including $50 billion that Congress sent Bush in December.
The Senate measure drops language passed by the House to block DP World, a corporation owned by the government of Dubai, from taking over operations at six U.S. seaports. The company has vowed to sell off the its U.S. operations.
Despite public anxiety over the spiraling cost of the Iraq war and near-record budget deficits, widespread support for U.S. troops in the field guarantees the whopping bill will pass later this spring. The Senate debate is likely to expose the chamber's appetite for election-year spending on issues like veterans medical programs, avian flu preparedness and border and port security.
But there's also election-year pressure for spending on the home front. Cochran's draft bill carries a $96.7 billion cost, but numerous amendments promise to boost the tally past $100 billion.
Sen. Byron Dorgan (news, bio, voting record), D-N.D., is pushing an almost $4 billion plan to assist drought-stricken farmers and give them help with spiraling energy costs. A similar plan passed the Senate in December but was killed by House conservatives.
"We can help our farmers and ranchers for the cost of just the crumbs falling off the table from our work in Iraq and Afghanistan," Dorgan said. "I think it's time that we got the job done here at home."
Sen. Tom Harkin (news, bio, voting record), D-Iowa, is poised to add $2.3 billion to combat avian flu. Bush earmarked the funds in his February budget but has yet to send Congress an official request.
"It looks to me like it's out of control," said Budget Committee Chairman Judd Gregg, R-N.H., who also serves on the Appropriations panel. "The president sends up $92 billion. It's coming to the committee at $96.7 billion and I understand there's another $6 billion in (agriculture) and other amendments heading toward it."
Bush originally requested $91 billion for the entire measure. The House passed a $92 billion version last month. The measure won't get to the Senate floor until after an upcoming two-week recess.[/b]
$72 million alone for Iraq and Afghanistan! In spite of this, Bush is still pushing for permanent tax cuts. Bush must be planting money trees at the White House :lol: .
AP Press
President Bush used the upcoming income tax-filing deadline and his weekly radio address to promote tax-cut proposals and set up an election-year debate with Democrats over the issue.
In the broadcast Saturday, Bush urged Congress to permanently extend tax cuts that he pushed into law during his first term, which are set to expire in coming years.
"Some Democrats in Washington are insisting that we let that happen, or even repeal the tax cuts now," Bush said as he spent the weekend at his Texas ranch. "In either case, that would weaken our economy and would leave American families with a big tax hike that they do not expect and will not welcome."
Democrats argue Bush's emphasis on sweeping tax cuts is driving up the deficit. They say his tax relief primarily benefits the wealthy.
The president argued that he can meet his goal of cutting the deficit in half by the end of his time in office through pro-growth economic policies and spending restraint.
"The evidence is overwhelming: The opponents of tax cuts were wrong," he said. "Tax relief has helped to create jobs and opportunities for American families, and it's helped our economy grow."
Bush is down in the polls, which find most Americans objecting to the war in Iraq, and has said he recognizes that midterm election politics is making Republicans in Congress nervous. He used the popular GOP call for tax relief to appeal to Americans' pocketbooks with the April 15 filing deadline approaching.
"As tax day approaches later this month, many American families are now finishing their tax returns," Bush said. "And as you do, an important debate is taking place in Washington that will affect the amount you will pay in the years ahead."
Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Thad Cochran, R-Miss., is pushing to significantly boost President Bush's latest request for hurricane relief, while committee Democrats are poised to win almost $4 billion in agriculture disaster aid.
The bill generally grants Bush's $72 billion request for military operations, intelligence gathering and foreign aid related to the ongoing Iraq and Afghanistan missions but would boost his $19 billion request for hurricane relief by $4.6 billion.
Among the add-ons is $700 million to relocate a freight rail line in Mississippi further inland, away from hurricane threats. Katrina destroyed the existing line, owned by CSX Transportation, which is located directly on the coast. It has since been rebuilt at a cost of $300 million to CSX and its insurers. The funding would buy the existing rail line, and then CSX would use the money to finance construction of the new one.
The bill also boosts Bush's request for $4.2 billion in community development block grants by about $1 billion. Louisiana is expected to receive the bulk of the funds, which would generally go toward rebuilding homes and apartments destroyed or damaged by storm surges and levee breaks.
With hurricane season looming, the bill also contains $2 billion to repair and rebuild levees and other flood control projects, which comes on top of $2 billion approved last year. But the administration now admits that earlier cost estimates proved too low and that almost $6 billion more will be needed.
On Iraq and Afghanistan, $67.8 billion goes to the Defense Department for operations and logistics, fuel, replacing equipment damaged by harsh conditions, supporting Iraqi forces and classified intelligence activities. More than $4 billion in foreign aid is also included, including $3.1 billion for Iraq.
The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that $320 billion has been spent on Iraq and Afghanistan since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, including $50 billion that Congress sent Bush in December.
The Senate measure drops language passed by the House to block DP World, a corporation owned by the government of Dubai, from taking over operations at six U.S. seaports. The company has vowed to sell off the its U.S. operations.
Despite public anxiety over the spiraling cost of the Iraq war and near-record budget deficits, widespread support for U.S. troops in the field guarantees the whopping bill will pass later this spring. The Senate debate is likely to expose the chamber's appetite for election-year spending on issues like veterans medical programs, avian flu preparedness and border and port security.
But there's also election-year pressure for spending on the home front. Cochran's draft bill carries a $96.7 billion cost, but numerous amendments promise to boost the tally past $100 billion.
Sen. Byron Dorgan (news, bio, voting record), D-N.D., is pushing an almost $4 billion plan to assist drought-stricken farmers and give them help with spiraling energy costs. A similar plan passed the Senate in December but was killed by House conservatives.
"We can help our farmers and ranchers for the cost of just the crumbs falling off the table from our work in Iraq and Afghanistan," Dorgan said. "I think it's time that we got the job done here at home."
Sen. Tom Harkin (news, bio, voting record), D-Iowa, is poised to add $2.3 billion to combat avian flu. Bush earmarked the funds in his February budget but has yet to send Congress an official request.
"It looks to me like it's out of control," said Budget Committee Chairman Judd Gregg, R-N.H., who also serves on the Appropriations panel. "The president sends up $92 billion. It's coming to the committee at $96.7 billion and I understand there's another $6 billion in (agriculture) and other amendments heading toward it."
Bush originally requested $91 billion for the entire measure. The House passed a $92 billion version last month. The measure won't get to the Senate floor until after an upcoming two-week recess.[/b]
$72 million alone for Iraq and Afghanistan! In spite of this, Bush is still pushing for permanent tax cuts. Bush must be planting money trees at the White House :lol: .
AP Press
President Bush used the upcoming income tax-filing deadline and his weekly radio address to promote tax-cut proposals and set up an election-year debate with Democrats over the issue.
In the broadcast Saturday, Bush urged Congress to permanently extend tax cuts that he pushed into law during his first term, which are set to expire in coming years.
"Some Democrats in Washington are insisting that we let that happen, or even repeal the tax cuts now," Bush said as he spent the weekend at his Texas ranch. "In either case, that would weaken our economy and would leave American families with a big tax hike that they do not expect and will not welcome."
Democrats argue Bush's emphasis on sweeping tax cuts is driving up the deficit. They say his tax relief primarily benefits the wealthy.
The president argued that he can meet his goal of cutting the deficit in half by the end of his time in office through pro-growth economic policies and spending restraint.
"The evidence is overwhelming: The opponents of tax cuts were wrong," he said. "Tax relief has helped to create jobs and opportunities for American families, and it's helped our economy grow."
Bush is down in the polls, which find most Americans objecting to the war in Iraq, and has said he recognizes that midterm election politics is making Republicans in Congress nervous. He used the popular GOP call for tax relief to appeal to Americans' pocketbooks with the April 15 filing deadline approaching.
"As tax day approaches later this month, many American families are now finishing their tax returns," Bush said. "And as you do, an important debate is taking place in Washington that will affect the amount you will pay in the years ahead."