House Approves $61B
Ag Spending Measure

WASHINGTON —(AP)— The U.S. House passed a $61 billion measure last week for financing farm and food programs next year, the first of the 13 annual spending bills for fiscal 2000 to win approval.

Over Democratic objections, the bill was passed on a near party-line 246-183 vote.

The Senate has yet to write its version.

Overall, it would spend about $1.6 billion less than this year and $6 billion less than President Clinton requested. But about $6.5 billion of this year's total was emergency spending Congress approved in response to low commodity prices and diminished overseas demand for U.S. agricultural products.

The bill would increase spending for agriculture research and food inspections but reduce rural development, crop insurance and Agriculture Department construction programs.

Included is $21.6 billion for food stamps, $1 billion less than this year and $5.7 billion below Clinton's proposal. It also has $800 million for conservation, $7 million above this year but $67 million less than Clinton wanted.

The bill had a troubled journey through the House.

It bogged down last month after conservatives unhappy with its price tag forced two days' of votes on amendments. And it passed only after a near party-line 234-195 vote to cut it by $102 million as part of a plan by House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., to get spending bills moving and satisfy conservatives.

The measure also contained language by Rep. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., continuing a ban on the use of federal funds for testing or approving abortion-inducing drugs like RU-486, the French pill.