PANEL APPROVES $9 BILLION IN SPENDING

With budget surpluses mounting, the House Appropriations Committee last
night approved $9 billion of additional spending this year for Colombian
anti-drug efforts and military operations in Kosovo and jettisoned several
controversial budget gimmicks that were used to get around spending limits.

Republicans last year skirted legally imposed budget caps by slowing the
rate of payments to Pentagon contractors, shifting the last pay period for
the military from fiscal 2000 to 2001 and other tactics. Yesterday, the
committee agreed to abandon those tactics and use about $6.9 billion of
surplus funds to cover the costs this year. The vote for the increased
spending and elimination of budget tricks was 33 to 13.

"I'm glad the bill cleans up some of the more outrageous accounting
gimmicks," said Rep. David R. Obey (Wis.), the ranking Appropriations
Committee Democrat.

Lawmakers were forced to adopt creative tactics last year to avoid
violating their pledge not to dip into surplus revenue generated by the
Social Security program. But this year, with projections of a $23 billion
surplus outside of the retirement program, House Republican leaders added
$3.7 billion to President Clinton's original supplemental spending request.

The extra funds include $1.6 billion to cover the Pentagon's soaring fuel
costs, $600 million to repair storm-damaged roads and bridges, $854 million
for the Pentagon's financially troubled military health care program and
$259.7 million for agricultural disaster assistance.

House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) insisted on additional spending to
expand the anti-drug initiative in Latin America to Bolivia, Ecuador and
Peru. About $1.7 billion in all was earmarked to help Colombia and its
neighbors combat cocaine production.

The bill also satisfies demands of Appropriations Committee Chairman C.W.
Bill Young (R-Fla.) and scores of other members to assist communities and
farmers recovering from last fall's Hurricane Floyd and from other
disasters and pestilence. Clinton proposed $1.2 billion for those purposes
but the committee bill provides $2.2 billion.

Young added $40 million to cover losses to citrus growers in southern
Florida who were hard hit by the citrus canker. Another $7 million will go
to combat Pierce's disease, which is hurting Southern California farms.

The supplemental spending measure includes all $2 billion Clinton wants for
the costs of American forces in Kosovo, and the $25 million for U.S.
operations in East Timor.

The money to combat drugs is controversial because many in both parties
question the wisdom of an open-ended U.S. involvement in Colombia and
disagree over which part of the Colombian government should get the money.
Obey led an effort to withhold $552 million of the funds, but his amendment
was rejected by a vote of 36 to 20.

"Congress needs to know a whole lot more about what we're doing before we
proceed," Obey said.

Staff writer Karen DeYoung contributed to this report.