GOP to block Dem efforts to send appropriations package

GOP turns ethics tables
By Manu Raju
November 02, 2007


Senate Republicans said Thursday they would invoke new ethics rules to block Democratic efforts to send to President Bush the first appropriations package of the 110th Congress.

Despite Republican grumbling, House and Senate negotiators on Thursday agreed to tack a $65 billion bill funding the Department of Veterans Affairs and military construction onto a $151 billion bill for the Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS) and Education departments. The Veterans Affairs measure is about $4 billion more than Bush’s budget request, and the Labor-HHS-Education bill would add $10 billion to the president’s proposal.

When the conference report moves to the Senate floor — which could happen as early as next week — Republicans plan to raise a point of order to strike the language on Veterans Affairs and military construction. The move will likely intensify a partisan battle over spending priorities and allow each side to blame the other for delaying funding for veterans.

“It will be up to Republicans in the Senate whether they want to turn {their} back on our veterans right before Veterans Day,” said Patty Murray of Washington, a member of Senate Democratic leadership who sits on the Appropriations Military Construction and Veterans Affairs subcommittee.

“Where does this process take us except to delay getting vital needed funds to our veterans?” said Rep. Roger Wicker (Miss.), ranking Republican on the corresponding House subcommittee.

Bush and congressional Republicans are protesting Democratic efforts to tie the two measures together, arguing that the majority is holding veterans’ money hostage for an incremental increase in domestic policy programs.

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http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/gop-turns-ethics-tables-2007-11-02.html

And them let them try to explain it all it you next November!

:bounce:
rocknation

the rethugs are. So now * can shut his pie hole.

Typical inside the beltway assessment. Democrats are not delaying the funding, Republicans are.