House OKs Flood Relief, but Clinton Veto Expected

WASHINGTON — An $8.4-billion emergency relief package that provides flood money for California and postpones for one month the cutoff of benefits to legal immigrants passed the House on Thursday, but a controversial budget provision tacked onto the bill made a presidential veto virtually inevitable.

At stake for California is $3.4 billion to assist recovery from a brutal spate of winter storms, and $10 million for a new transportation system at Yosemite National Park.

The bill would also preserve until Sept. 30 Supplemental Security Income and Medicaid (Medi-Cal in California) for legal immigrants, which under last year’s welfare reform law are scheduled to end Aug. 31. An estimated 40% of the immigrants affected by the law reside in California.

Under the budget agreement negotiated between the White House and congressional Republican leaders this month, those benefits are supposed to be permanently restored. The one-month extension would provide additional time for permanent legislation to move through Congress.

Not a single lawmaker objected Thursday to the desperate need for the flood relief money. But the bill, passed 244 to 178, was loaded up with some wishful provisions that GOP lawmakers hoped President Clinton would be forced to accept rather than deny emergency money to 35 states declared major disaster areas.

Most objectionable to the White House was a provision to prevent a repeat of government shutdowns two years ago by allowing automatic funding for federal agencies at a scaled-down rate even if Congress fails to pass a budget by Oct. 1, the beginning of the fiscal year.

The proposal would considerably weaken the president’s leverage in budget negotiations. Democrats decried the attachment of such a contested amendment to a must-pass bill, accusing the GOP of holding flood victims hostage to their budget demands.

“When natural disaster strikes, the people of our country have a right to have a response from us, a response that is quick and appropriate,” said Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco).

Clinton on Thursday renewed the veto threat he made when the Senate passed its version of the spending bill a week ago. The bills now go to a House-Senate conference committee.

Few doubt that California and the other affected states will eventually get the relief money once congressional Republicans and the White House finish playing chicken. The pace of recovery should not be affected by the delay because the money for disaster relief is now being spent. The legislation is needed to restock the disaster assistance fund.

“If the president is absolutely adamant and makes good on his veto threat, then we have to reconsider,” said Rep. Frank Riggs (R-Windsor). “At the end of the day, California will get its money.”

The bill includes millions for repair of roads and bridges, relief to farmers and upgrades of levees and stream beds. Without such reinforcement, officials have said a storm as powerful as this winter’s could again create havoc throughout Central California.

Under the automatic spending provision, agencies would continue to be funded at the previous year’s level if Congress missed the Oct. 1 deadline. Opponents argue that, taking inflation into account, funding agencies at the prior year’s levels amounts to a budget cut.

But many Republicans called the measure a safeguard against debilitating government shutdowns like the ones two years ago that lasted 28 days and cost taxpayers $1 billion.