House Passes $516 Billion Spending Bill
We’re making some pretty good progress toward coming up with a fiscally sound budget, one that meets priorities, helps on some emergencies and enables us to say that we’ve been fiscally sound with the people’s money.
-Bush, on spending bill
If Bush had his way, (usually he does), it would’ve been a much more dismal Christmas for some folks:
Democrats succeeded in reversing cuts sought by Bush to heating subsidies, local law enforcement, Amtrak and housing as well as Bush’s plan to eliminate the $654 million budget for grants to community action agencies that help the poor.
But, overall, Bush and the republicans came out ahead:
The result would be a twin defeat for Democrats, who had vowed not to allow additional Iraq war funding without conditions and had spent months on legislation to add $27 billion to domestic programs, an almost 7 percent increase.
Gee. That ‘majority’ sure has been a blessing.
