" The
G.O.P. leaders' delay in achieving final spending approval will likely shortchange such headlined priorities as the AIDS program
for Africa, as well as such basic necessities as housing and child care subsidies for the poor. The Republicans, capping their
year of record tax cuts and budget deficits, are suddenly demanding an across-the-board cut of close to $3 billion in domestic
spending. ... "
New York TImes November 26, 2003
The G.O.P. Congress Fails at Closing
The complete article is currently (3/25/04)
available on a New York Times website at-- http://collegexml3.nytimes.com/guests/articles/2003/11/26/1126939 [found through a Google search by article title on the same date]
Opening words--
ongress
has headed home for holiday feasting having failed to meet its most basic responsibility — approving the bills that
pay for another year's government. A murky $820 billion omnibus bill needed by a score of federal agencies is already two
months overdue, mocking the Republican leaders' campaign vow to make Congress look more efficient.
But the full damage of the measure, consideration of which is put off until Dec. 8, is still not clear — new riders
and amendments keep emerging from the political fog. The gun lobby, masters of maneuvering under the Capitol radar, managed
to insert a brazen rollback of gun controls in the measure's fine print. ...
