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A4 U.S. NEWS
Tuesday 26 June 2018

Senate approves $145B spending bill to fund energy, veterans

By MATTHEW DALY for the catch-all spending
Associated Press bill. “That is no way to fund
WASHINGTON (AP) — The the government.” Shelby
Senate on Monday ap- praised the panel’s vice
proved a $145 billion chairman, Sen. Patrick Lea-
spending bill to fund the hy of Vermont, for helping
Energy Department and him keep partisan policy
veterans’ programs for the riders out of the legislation.
next budget year. Such riders are considered
The 86-5 vote in favor of “poison pills” because they
the bill sends it back to the imperil final passage of the
House, which approved a bill. Lawmakers banished
similar bill this month. Law- one such rider last week,
makers hope to send a uni- an effort by Republican
fied bill to President Donald Sen. Mike Lee of Utah that
Trump as the first of what would have scrapped the
they hope will be a series Obama administration’s
of spending bills signed into Clean Water Rule.
law before the new budget Lee and other Republicans
year begins Oct. 1. consider the rule intrusive
Individual spending mea- and say it unfairly expands
sures have routinely been In this June 15, 2018, file photo, the Capitol is seen in Washington. The Senate is taking up a $145 authority of the Environ-
billion spending bill to fund the Energy Department and veterans’ programs for the next budget
delayed or ignored in re- year. mental Protection Agency.
cent years in favor of giant Associated Press Twenty Republican sena-
spending packages — of- won’t sign another catchall signed in June to give vet- tion in energy research. The tors — including many who
ten months overdue — that measure like the $1.3 trillion erans more freedom to see bill also funds flood-control agree with Lee on the sub-
fund the entire govern- bill he signed in March. doctors outside the trou- projects and addresses stance of the water rule —
ment. The three-bill bundle ap- bled VA system. regional ports and water- voted with Democrats to
GOP leaders are anxious proved Monday includes a The bill includes $43.8 billion ways. shelve it.
to avoid another massive $5.1 billion increase for the for energy and water pro- Lawmakers focused less The Lee amendment is
spending bill as the mid- Department of Veterans grams, including programs on those details than on “precisely the type of poi-
term elections approach. Affairs, including $1.1 bil- to ensure nuclear stockpile the vote itself, calling early son pill policy rider we have
Trump has pledged he lion to pay for a law Trump readiness and spur innova- approval of a spending bill worked so hard to avoid”
the beginning of a return and would have jeop-
Manafort appeals jailing, civil case to “regular order” that has ardized passage of the
overall bill, Leahy said. He
eluded Congress for years.
against Mueller Sen. Lamar Alexander, R- thanked Republicans who
“recognized this reality as
Tenn., said senators were
“doing what the Senate well” and joined with Dem-
By CHAD DAY ler’s authority to prosecute they carried out for Ukrai- is supposed to do” — pro- ocrats to block the amend-
Associated Press him. Jackson revoked nian interests. Manafort has pose bills, debate them ment. “By focusing on fund-
WASHINGTON (AP) — Presi- Manafort’s house arrest pleaded not guilty to the and then vote them up or ing matters, and avoiding
dent Donald Trump’s for- earlier this month citing a charges. Kilimnik, who pros- down. Too often, he said, controversial policy riders,
mer campaign chairman newly unsealed indictment ecutors says lives in Russia, being a senator is “like join- we have ended the Senate
is appealing a judge’s de- accusing him and a long- has not appeared in a U.S. ing the Grand Ole Opry debate with a bipartisan
cision to jail him while he time associate of tamper- court to face the charges. and not being allowed to product that both Demo-
awaits trial on several felo- ing with witnesses in the In addition to fighting his sing.”Sen. Richard Shelby, crats and Republicans can
ny charges. case. jailing, Manafort is also res- R-Ala., chairman of the support,” Leahy said.
Attorneys for Paul Manafort The latest indictment add- urrecting a civil case he Senate Appropriations The spending bill also con-
filed court papers Monday ed charges of obstruction brought earlier this year Committee, said he hoped tains $3.8 billion to fund the
saying they want a federal of justice and conspiracy to that Jackson threw out. the bill’s passage signals annual operations of Con-
appeals court to review obstruct justice stemming Manafort initially brought Senate approval of all 12 gress. It includes a provision
the order by U.S. District from the contacts with two the case seeking to have spending bills by the end of to again deny lawmakers
Judge Amy Berman Jack- witnesses. Prosecutors say Jackson dismiss all charges September. the annual cost-of-living
son. Separately, they also Manafort and his associ- against him, arguing that “It is my hope that we will pay raise that they are
are appealing Jackson’s ate, Konstantin Kilimnik, at- Mueller had exceeded not be led astray down the supposed to receive. Sala-
order dismissing a civil suit tempted to persuade the his authority by bringing path of delay and partisan- ries for members of Con-
Manafort brought earlier two witnesses to lie about criminal charges unre- ship that results in yet anoth- gress have been frozen
this year challenging spe- the nature of political con- lated to Russian election er omnibus,” Shelby said, at $174,000 per year for a
cial counsel Robert Muel- sulting and lobbying work interference.q using a congressional term decade.q