Disaster Relief Bill Still Faces Gop Hurdle

The Senate began debate on a disaster relief bill Monday with Republicans insisting they will not give ground on a contentious issue that could lead to a presidential veto.

There is wide support for the basic bill which would provide $8.4 billion in new spending this year, including $5.5 billion to help those hit by natural disasters and $1.8 billion for Bosnia and other peacekeeping missions.

But Republicans want to add an amendment that would eliminate the possibility of another shutdown of the federal government in the event that federal spending bills aren’t passed by the time the next fiscal year begins Oct. 1.

The administration strongly opposes that provision and says President Clinton will veto the bill if it is included.

With announcement of a balanced-budget deal last Friday, Democrats and administration officials had expressed hope that Republicans would drop the no-shutdown provision because another budget impasse leading to a shutdown is less likely now.

But Eric Ruff, spokesman for Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, a chief sponsor of the no-shutdown measure, said it is “still very active and very much a part of” the supplemental spending bill.