San Diego County Lawmakers : The House

Gramm-Rudman Repair

By a 230-176 vote, the House approved and sent to the Senate legislation (H Res 247) to repair the Gramm-Rudman-Hollings deficit reduction law.

The measure also raised Treasury borrowing authority from $2.3 trillion to $2.8 trillion through May, 1989.

The Gramm-Rudman repair is designed to satisfy the U. S. Supreme Court’s 1986 objection that the law violated separation of powers by enabling Congress to force presidential budget decisions.

It gives the executive branch’s Office of Management and Budget ultimate responsibility for ensuring that annual deficits are gradually lowered each year to a zero deficit in fiscal 1993.

Supporter Dan Rostenkowski (D-Ill.) said, “No real deficit reduction is going to take place unless the Gramm-Rudman-Hollings trigger is cocked.”

Opponent Silvio O. Conte (R-Mass.) called the law “a mindless process” that replaces human decision-making by elected officials.

Members voting yes supported the legislation.

How They Voted Yea Nay No vote Rep. Bates (D) x Rep. Hunter (R) x Rep. Lowery (R) x Rep. Packard (R) x

Budget Cuts

The House rejected, 176 to 239, an amendment to cut about $400 million from a $57.8-billion fiscal 1988 appropriations bill (HR 2783) for the Department of Housing and Urban Development and various agencies.

The amendment sought to cut 2% across the board from all areas of the bill except the Veterans Administration and National Aeronautics and Space Administration budgets. The bill was sent to the Senate.

Sponsor Philip M. Crane (R-Ill.) called this a chance for members to reduce the deficit themselves rather than rely on an automatic Gramm-Rudman-Hollings mechanism.

Opponent William Green (R-N. Y.) defended the bill as already austere.

Members voting yes supported the cut.

How They Voted Yea Nay No vote Rep. Bates (D) x Rep. Hunter (R) x Rep. Lowery (R) x Rep. Packard (R) x

Contra Funding

By a 270-138 vote, the House passed and sent to the Senate a stopgap appropriations bill (H Res 270) to fund government operations at fiscal 1987 levels in the opening weeks of fiscal 1988.

The “continuing resolution” is necessary because Congress has failed to pass any of the 13 appropriations bills for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1.

Included in the outlay is $3.5 million in non-lethal aid to anti-Sandinista contra forces to support them in the rebellion against the Nicaraguan government until after the scheduled Nov. 7 start of the impending Central American peace plan.

Members voting yes favored the continuing resolution.

How They Voted Yea Nay No vote Rep. Bates (D) x Rep. Hunter (R) x Rep. Lowery (R) x Rep. Packard (R) x