GOP attempts to pass anti-terror package in House, Democrats skeptical of spending

WASHINGTON -- Republican leaders scurried to tamp down last-minute problems Wednesday and push a bipartisan $29 billion anti-terrorism package through the House.\nAcross the Capitol, the Democratic-led Senate Appropriations Committee prepared to approve its own $31 billion version of the measure. Unlike the House plan, the Senate bill was running into White House objections because it departs from several of President Bush's priorities, including outspending his original proposal by nearly $4 billion.\n"President Bush asked Congress to resist the temptation to overspend," said Trent Duffy, spokesman for the White House budget office. "The House has done that and should be commended. The Senate should exercise the same restraint."\nAmid recent administration warnings of renewed terrorism threats, there was broad bipartisan support for the House measure. It would beef up spending for the Pentagon, aviation safety and other domestic security programs, and support for Afghanistan, Israel and other U.S. allies.\nFirst, GOP leaders needed to nail down support for a preliminary vote on procedures for considering the bill.\nVirtually all Democrats planned to oppose it because of language Republicans added paving the way for increased federal borrowing, which the Bush administration has sought for months. Democrats blame last year's tax cuts for the red ink and oppose burying the issue in the anti-terrorism measure.\nDemocratic opposition meant nearly unanimous GOP support was needed for the procedural vote. GOP leaders were trying to satisfy Republicans on the House Appropriations Committee, who were balking at limits the measure would put on spending for next year.\nAlso built into the procedural vote was language boosting Medicare reimbursements for hospitals in the districts of GOP Reps. Sue Kelly of New York and Don Sherwood of Pennsylvania -- in exchange for their support in a recent trade vote, said congressional aides. There were also provisions helping domestic textile manufacturers to cement more trade support, and bolstering mail service in Alaska.\nThe Senate measure provides $3 billion more than the $5.3 billion Bush wanted for police, inspecting shipping containers, buttressing nuclear laboratory safety, and other domestic security programs.\n"We are still vulnerable. We need to do more to protect Americans here at home," said Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., who reached broad agreement on the bill with Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska, the panel's top Republican.\nThe Senate bill also takes a slap at the White House by making Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge's job one that requires Senate confirmation. That provision continues the battle between the administration and lawmakers over Ridge's refusal to testify to Congress.\nThe House version of the bill has wide bipartisan support.