House panel to look at dental benefits

[Judi Lynn]

Wednesday, June 23, 2004 · Last updated 5:12 p.m. PT

House panel to look at dental benefits

By ALAN FRAM
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER

WASHINGTON -- A congressional committee opened the door Wednesday to a possible improvement of dental and vision benefits for House members, voting to study whether to extend the coverage for lawmakers and their aides.

The provision, approved by voice vote by the House Appropriations Committee, was added to a measure providing $2.4 billion for the operations of the House and congressional agencies next year. The bill prohibits any actual spending for enhanced benefits for lawmakers, but the study could eventually lead to a reversal of that prohibition.

The bill was approved by voice vote without any effort to add an amendment barring exiting lawmakers from filing complaints with the House ethics committee. Last week, a subcommittee had narrowly defeated that amendment, which came after a House Democrat defeated in a primary election filed an ethics complaint against House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas.

Many legislators find it awkward to vote to improve their own benefits, especially in an election year. After one member of the panel asked for a roll call vote - in which individual lawmakers' preferences would have been recorded - the committee chairman. Rep. Bill Young, R-Fla., ruled against it, saying too few members of the committee asked for it.
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http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/apwashington_story.asp?category=1153&slug=House%20Dental%20Benefits