Senate Votes $1.8 Million for 4 Ex-Presidents

WASHINGTON —  The Senate gave final congressional approval Wednesday to a bill granting the country’s four living former presidents several hundred thousand dollars each in pensions and for office and travel expenses.

With just four senators in the chamber, the Senate on a voice vote approved an $18.4-billion measure for the Treasury and other agencies that contained $1.8 million for the ex-presidents. There was no debate.

President Bush is expected to sign the measure, the fourth of the 13 annual spending bills for the new fiscal year that Congress has sent him.

The legislation provides $559,500 for Ronald Reagan, $387,800 for Jimmy Carter, $426,800 for Gerald R. Ford, $426,700 for Richard M. Nixon and $22,200 for Lady Bird Johnson, the widow of Lyndon B. Johnson.

A 31-year-old law entitles each former President to a $99,500 annual pension, plus federal financing for their office space, furnishings, equipment, staffs, telephone, mail and travel. Mrs. Johnson receives a $20,000 yearly pension plus $2,200 for postage.

The legislation also provides:

--$497 million for the Postal Service, $5.6 billion for the Internal Revenue Service, and $200,000 to renovate rooms in the vice president’s formal residence to accommodate the three children of Dan Quayle.

--A 3.6% pay raise for federal civilian employees except for members of Congress, federal judges and top executive branch officials.

--A prohibition against the use of federal employee health benefits to pay for abortions unless the woman’s life is endangered by the pregnancy.