House passes $11.3 billion emergency spending bill

From CNN Capitol Hill Producer Ted Barrett

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The House passed an $11.3 billion emergency spending bill Thursday night that includes $1.3 billion for the drug war in Colombia, $2 billion for peacekeeping troops in Kosovo, and $1.3 billion for U.S. disaster relief.

The bill, which passed on a 306-110 vote, was part of an $8.8 billion military construction spending measure. It is expected to pass the Senate on Friday morning before going to the White House for President Clinton's signature.

The emergency spending measure grew from what was a $5.5 billion request from the president, and then shrank from a $13.3 billion bill that originally passed the House.

It took months of haggling by lawmakers to get to final passage. One spat was over which type of helicopter -- the Black Hawk or the Huey II -- to provide to Colombia. In the end, they compromised and bought both.

The last hurdle was cleared Thursday night when leaders agreed to strip language loosening sanctions against Cuba, leaving the controversial issue for after their July 4 vacation.

Other major parts of the bill include:

• $1.6 billion for the Pentagon's rising fuel costs
• $1.3 billion for military health care
• $125 million for Patriot missile reliability
• $50 million for FEMA to buy out flooded properties
• $661 million for damage from the Cerro Grande Fire in New Mexico
• $192.5 million for Department of Energy needs, including cybersecurity
• $700 million for the Coast Guard
• $75 million for FAA operations
• $20 million for NTSB funds spent on the Alaska Air and Egypt Air crash probes
• $17.5 million to address "severe" fire hazards in the U.S. Capitol
• $4.5 million for the D.C. police for the recent World Bank protests
• $2 million for the Commission on International Religious Freedom

Thursday, June 29, 2000

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• Former House lawmaker tapped to succeed Daley at Commerce
  
• Massachusetts Legislature votes to bar jailed felons from voting
  
• Clinton says he hopes moderate Democrats will remain a powerful force
  
• GOP ''partial-birth'' abortion ban may now be ready to move forward
  

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