Harkin, Shelby hold out hope on Labor, Health spending bill

{mosads}Sources have said that Rep. Denny Rehberg (R-Mont.), the lead House GOP negotiator on the bill, appears especially unwilling to compromise with Harkin on riders. Rehberg is running for the seat of Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.).

Current government funding runs out Dec. 16 and appropriators had hoped to release a bill next Monday.

In addition to the Labor bill, anti-Environmental Protection Agency riders in the Interior, Environment bill are also a major sticking point as is the issue of whether the entire administration request for $11.3 billion for disaster aid will be met.

Under the August debt ceiling deal, $11.3 billion on top of the $1.043 trillion spending limit can be spent on disaster.

Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) said Tuesday she is still pushing for a full share of disaster relief.

She said that the appropriations bills would likely contain some riders given the need to pass the omnibus this month.

“I am sure there will be and it is very unfortunate,” she said. “I suspect that there are a lot of compromises being reached in order to get this bill to final.”

Sources have hinted that some minor riders such as one meant to limit abortions in the District of Columbia or one to keep gray wolves off the endangered species list may make it into the final bill.

Among Republicans, some are counseling to drop the riders in order to pass the omnibus and avoid resorting to a full year continuing resolution. A CR just maintains the status quo without updating funding for specific program to reflect new needs and policies.

“An omnibus bill is always difficult to pass and the fewer riders there are, the easier it is to pass,” said Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.)

Alexander, an appropriator added that “a continuing resolution is bad management, it is lazy management.“