Pubdate: Fri, 07 Apr 2000
Source: Orange County Register (CA)
Copyright: 2000 The Orange County Register
Contact: letters@link.freedom.com
Address: P.O. Box 11626, Santa Ana, CA 92711
Fax: (714) 565-3657
Website: http://www.ocregister.com/
Section: Local News,page 8

COLOMBIA AID

The most interesting aspect of the passage of a $13 billion
supplemental appropriation passed by the House last week, including
emergency spending for the failed Kosovo operation and a hefty $1.7
billion for aid to Colombia, was the emergence of a growing bipartisan
skepticism about overseas adventures. The coalition of skeptics - or
should that be realists? - didn't carry the day. But it showed
surprising muscle. And the bill could run into more trouble in the
Senate in coming days.

A supplemental appropriation is perhaps the worst way for the
government to spend money. It is an acknowledgement that the current
budget was poorly designed, that it didn't take certain spending
desires into account (or that the constituency for some programs
wasn't sufficiently organized). A supplemental appropriation generally
groups disparate odds and ends into one bill, including some programs
for which committee hearings and oversight have not occurred.

This bill fit the pattern. I included $40 million for Florida citrus
growers whose trees have been damaged by a disease, $20 million for a
new Food and Drug administration lab in Los Angeles and relief for
North Carolina and other states hit by this year's hurricanes. The
main elements, however, were $2.1 billion for the mission in Kosovo
and $1.7 billion for Colombia, whose 40-year civil war has intensified
in violence lately because of complications arising from the drug war.

As expected - especially since House Speaker Dennis Hastert supported
it so strongly - the bill passed 289-146 (Orange County Reps. Packard
and Sanchez voted for it, while Cox, Rohrabacher and Royce were
opposed). But the most telling votes came on certain key amendments.

The best showing by the skeptics came on an amendment from House
Budget Chairman John Kasich to withhold half of the U.S. funding for
Kosovo operations until certification that European Union countries
step up their funding commitments. It got 200 votes (152 Republicans,
46 Democrats, 2 Independents), but spending advocates mustered 219
votes. (Orange County Reps. Cox, Rohrabacher and Royce voted for the
amendment while Packard and Sanchez opposed it.)

An amendment from Democratic Rep. David Obey of Wisconsin to cut half
the funding for counter-narcotics programs in Colombia got 186 (58
Republicans, 127 Democrats, 1 Independent) voted for this one, while
Rep. Packard apposed it.

An amendment from Minnesota Republican Rep. Jim Ramstad to eliminate
all of the funding for the Colombian intervention failed 158-262
Reps. Cox, Rohrabacher, Royce and Sanchez supported this one too,
while Rep. Packard was against it.

Kevin Zeese of Common Sense for Drug Policy told us these numbers were
heartening. "We now have a solid bipartisan nucleus whose influence
could eventually change U.S drug and foreign policies."

The best news last week was that Senate Majority Leader Treent Lott,
normally not much of a boat-rocker, is appalled at how this bill grew
from $5.2 billion to $13 billion. "It is too costly," Sen. Lott told
the Associated Press, "and I will do what I can to block it," although
he favors money for Kosovo and Colombia.

The longer this proposal is delayed the more likely that opposition
will increase.

As it should.