Military Bill Carries Range of Extra Spending

[lostnfound]

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/12/politics/12spend.html?th&emc=th

As the Senate began to debate President Bush's request for more than $80 billion in supplemental military spending on Monday, senators seized a chance to pack pet projects into an unstoppable bill, adding provisions dealing with oil drilling, forest services, a new baseball stadium for Washington and economic assistance to Palestinians.

On Monday night, others were seeking to incorporate changes to immigration laws as well.

Senator Thad Cochran, the Mississippi Republican who is chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, called the draft "a straightforward bill" that "meets the needs of our fighting forces overseas" and "addresses emergency requirements here at home."

His own addition to the spending bill was a measure giving Mississippi control of the mineral rights and the ability to permit certain drilling below the Gulf Islands National Seashore in the Gulf of Mexico. Some environmental groups have opposed the measure.

...
Also mentions illegal immigration / driver's licences as being part of the bill.

[Moderator]

1. kick to combine

[NNN0LHI]

2. Military Bill Carries Extra Spending, From Oil Drilling To Baseball Stadium

http://www.theday.com/eng/web/news/re.aspx?re=0D71DE03-A546-47B8-92CB-BF4F1225624A

Washington — As the Senate began to debate President Bush's request for more than $80 billion in supplemental military spending on Monday, senators seized a chance to pack pet projects into an unstoppable bill, adding provisions dealing with oil drilling, forest services, a new baseball stadium for Washington and economic assistance for Palestinians. snip

Sen. Thad Cochran, R-Miss., who is chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, called the draft “a straightforward bill” that “meets the needs of our fighting forces overseas” and “addresses emergency requirements here at home.”

His own addition to the spending bill was a measure giving Mississippi control of the mineral rights and the ability to permit certain drilling below the Gulf Islands National Seashore in the Gulf of Mexico. Some environmental groups have opposed the measure.

Democrats charged Republicans with using emergency supplemental bills to circumvent the budget debate. “The White House has turned on its head the definition of an emergency supplemental appropriation,” Sen. Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va., said. “This is not truth in budgeting. Tactics like this hide the real costs of the war.”

more

[shanti]

3. this really incenses me!!

they get away with this every time!! :grr: