GOP PLANS FUNDING BOOST FOR MILITARY, DRUG WAR

House GOP leaders intend to press this week for approval of nearly $9
billion of additional spending this year for anti-drug efforts in Colombia,
military operations in Kosovo and dozens of other programs and initiatives
that far exceed the funding sought by President Clinton.

The administration requested an addition $5.2 billion for fiscal 2000, but
under pressure from House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) and other
Republican leaders, the House Appropriations Committee is preparing to vote
Thursday on a more generous measure that would be financed out of the
projected surplus.

The extra funds would in part cover the military's mounting fuel costs and
support its financially troubled health insurance program, as well as
upgrading its F-15 jet fighter program. There is also money for NASA, the
Coast Guard, fire safety and highway emergency disaster funds.

The measure includes the $1.3 billion requested by Clinton for combating
drug traffickers in Colombia. But at Hastert's behest, more funds were
added for anti-drug efforts in Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru.

"Obviously the speaker is very enthusiastic about the anti-drug package,"
said John Feehery, a spokesman for Hastert. "Fighting the war on drugs is
probably one of the best ways we can help the youth of the country."

The bill is likely to be approved on Thursday, but it faces an uncertain
future because of controversy among Republicans and Democrats alike over
the wisdom of U.S. involvement in Colombia, concerns about human rights
violations by the Colombian military and disagreements over which part of
the Colombian government should get the money.

"I think that there's a great deal of angst about the Colombian portion of
this," said an aide to Rep. David R. Obey (Wis.), the ranking Democrat on
the Appropriations Committee.

Appropriations Committee Chairman C.W. Bill Young (R-Fla.) shaped the
package following hearings over the past several weeks at which members
raised complaints and questions about the wisdom of the anti-drug policy.

According to committee sources, the measure increases the administration's
original request of $955 million in emergency funds for this fiscal year
and $318 million for fiscal 2001 - to $1.7 billion.

Much of the increase - $300 million - would go to the Justice Department
under the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act of 1994. The
money would reimburse telecommunications companies for the cost of
enhancing the government's ability to conduct court-ordered domestic
wiretaps on the sophisticated equipment used by drug smugglers.

Other changes reflect conflicting views on the wisdom of assisting the
Colombian National Police, held in high esteem for anti-narcotics successes
by Hastert and International Relations Committee Chairman Benjamin A.
Gilman (R-N.Y.), rather than the Colombian armed forces.

The committee bill includes $115.5 million for the police, $25 million more
than the administration requested. It also takes $31 million in funding
away from the military--a relative pittance, since the bulk of the program
is for military equipment and training - and shifts to the police two of
the 30 Black Hawk helicopters the administration requested for the
Colombian Air Force.

Sources said the changes had been coordinated with the administration and
little White House opposition is expected.