Appropriations Continue to
Lag
October 24, 2003 - As the first month of the fiscal
year draws to a close, Congress continues to struggle to complete
its work on the FY 2004 spending bills. To date, only three
bills have been signed into law, and most of the federal government
is operating under a continuing resolution (CR) that runs
through Oct. 31.
Complicating matters is the fact that the Senate has not
considered six of the remaining bills, including the VA-HUD-Independent
Agencies bill. House Republican leaders have devised a strategy
to pass these six bills as an omnibus package attached to
a second CR (H.J.Res 73), set to expire on Nov. 7, that the
House passed Oct. 21. However, Senate leaders are reluctant
to consider the bills en masse as part of a CR, and Democrats
in particular are pushing to consider the bills individually.
Meanwhile, the FY 2004 Labor-HHS-Education bill (H.R.
2660) continues to languish in conference committee as
House-Senate negotiators struggle with a Senate-passed provision
to delay implementation of a Bush Administration proposal
to modify overtime pay rules. While Senate Labor-HHS-Education
Chair Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) reportedly has been pursuing a
compromise that would permit the conference report to move
forward, the White House has continued its threat to veto
the measure if the delay is included in the final bill.
Information:
Dave Moore, Senior Associate Vice President
AAMC Government Relations
dbmoore@aamc.org
(202) 828-0525
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