The time for doing whatever the heart desires is over.
A House panel voted unanimously yesterday to slash a number of signature Bush administration domestic initiatives by $750 million, sending a signal that Congress intends to make the White House share the pain of belt tightening.Among the spending rejected by a Republican-led House Appropriations subcommittee was $18 million for the "American Masterpieces" program, which has been championed by Laura Bush; $23 million for the "We the People" civics and history program, which was announced by President Bush at a White House ceremony, and $219 million for "FutureGen," a special initiative of Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham to develop a nonpolluting coal-fired power plant.
The action marked the beginning of what is expected to be months of contention over the 13 annual bills that allocate funds for government departments and agencies starting Oct. 1. Overall, the panel reduced funding for the natural resources bill from $20 billion this year to $19.7 billion in 2005. The elimination of the Bush initiatives, Republicans said, was necessary to accommodate a long list of congressional priorities, including more money for maintaining national parks, fighting disease in forests, improving Indian health services and providing more funds to fight forest fires in the West.
It's going to be fun watch them battle over the next few months.