Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole abruptly halted final Senate action on a $16.4 billion spending-cut bill Friday, blaming Democrats for the delay in legislation that had been worked out with the White House.
The dispute spoiled what was to be a smooth resolution of Democratic President Clinton's first tug-of-war with the Republican Congress on spending cuts.It did not bode well for future work on cuts worth 10 times more, which will be needed to eventually balance the federal budget, a goal Clinton and the Republicans share.
The bill, setting out cuts in spending for the current financial year ending in September, had cleared the House late Thursday after a month of intense negotiations between Clinton and Republican leaders.
The dispute means it will not reach Clinton's desk until after Congress returns from the July 4th recess on July 10.
Dole urged Clinton to convince his fellow Democrats to withhold their objections but added he was not certain when it would be brought up. "I would hope when we come back we will have an agreement to have an up or down vote on the bill itself without amendments," the Kansas Republican said as the Senate left for the recess.
Also held up is nearly $7 billion in funds for California earthquake relief, for anti-terrorism programs in the wake of the Oklahoma City bombing and for debt relief for Jordan.
The delay came after Liberal Democrats Carol Moseley-Braun of Illinois and Paul Wellstone of Minnesota, angered by the bill's prospective cuts in federal aid to the elderly and poor, threatened to obstruct passage by offering amendments.
But Dole said he would not permit long debate and would demand Democrats raise no objections when the bill is next brought up.