Republicans Blocked $300 Million for Hungry Children Overseas

AP 6jun01

WASHINGTON -- Republicans on Wednesday blocked the addition of $300 million for hungry children overseas, the first battle over spending caps in their 10-year budget plan.

The House agricultural appropriations committee voted 8-7 against adding the extra $300 million to a $74.2 billion spending bill for the Agriculture Department and the Food and Drug Administration.

``This would be the first step in busting this Bush budget wide open,'' said Rep. Bill Young, R-Fla., chairman of the House Appropriations Committee.

Democrats argue that the recently passed budget plan did not leave enough room for social needs because of President Bush's $1.35 trillion, 10-year tax cut package.

The agricultural appropriations bill is the first of 13 spending measures that Congress must pass to fund government operations for fiscal 2002, which begins Oct. 1.

The $300 million that Democrats sought would continue an international school-lunch program the Agriculture Department is starting on an experimental basis this year. It is using money on an experimental basis, tapping money in its budget that is set aside for international food assistance. There is broad bipartisan support for expanding the program and making it permanent.

``If we don't put our stamp of approval on this program, we run the risk that it will never get off the ground,'' said Wisconsin Rep. David Obey, the House Appropriations Committee's senior Democrat. ``We're asking that it not be killed in the crib.''

Republicans argue that the Agriculture Department could continue the program without the extra appropriation that Democrats sought.

Missouri Rep. Jo Ann Emerson, who is co-sponsoring legislation to expand the program, was the only Republican on the subcommittee to vote for the additional $300 million.

The spending bill includes nearly $2 billion for food safety programs at the Agriculture Department and the FDA, a $126 million increase over this year's level. The extra spending includes $15 million for prevention of mad cow disease and additional money to increase inspections of imported foods.

Concerns about mad cow and foot-and-mouth disease also were behind a $79.4 million increase in Agriculture Department research programs. The increase provides $40 million to renovate a major department laboratory in Ames, Iowa, that does research on mad cow and other animal diseases.

In a recent report to Congress, Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman said the Ames lab was ``grossly debilitated and inadequate for animal health programs of high national priority.''

Europe's twin outbreaks of mad cow and foot-and-mouth diseases have heightened concern about the adequacy of research and prevention programs under the two federal agencies.

``We're doing all we can to prevent any more erosion in public confidence in food safety,'' said Rep. Henry Bonilla, R-Texas, chairman of the subcommittee.

Obey said Congress has been spending too little on food-safety programs. ``We can't afford to tinker around the edges any more,'' he said.

At $74.2 billion, the overall spending bill contains $230 million more than Bush requested. This year's budget for food and agriculture programs is $76.7 billion, but that includes $3.6 billion in emergency farm assistance. Congress is expected to consider additional farm aid later this year.