Reid Says Senate Will Pass House Supplemental
Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said Tuesday that the Senate will pass the House version of the war supplemental bill, largely leaving the bill intact and without the additional spending that many Senators advocated.
Speaking to reporters after the weekly Democratic luncheon, Reid said the Senate will come back at a later time and do the other projects that deal with disaster relief, childrens health care, and the energy-assistance program.
Recognizing the extensive negotiations that took place between the House and the White House to arrive at a compromise bill to fund the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and expand veterans benefits, Reid emphasized that additional spending would not make it this time around.
Well do things at a later time, the Majority Leader said.
Reids comments come one week after the House overwhelmingly supported the war spending bill that includes unemployment insurance, GI benefits and flood relief for the Midwest, which has been ravaged by heavy rain.
Among the things Senators will now have to forgo, for now, is an increase in the already $5.8 billion for levee repair in Louisiana, lobbied for by Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.), who sits on the powerful Appropriations Committee.
The Senate earlier approved a supplemental with $10 billion in additional spending over the House measure.