Congress OKs Scaled-Down Urban Aid Bill

Breaking a monthlong stalemate, Congress on Thursday approved a compromise $1.1-billion emergency urban aid package keyed to the Los Angeles riots and sent it to President Bush for his promised signature.

The bill passed the House by a vote of 249 to 168 and only hours later sailed through the Senate on a voice vote without dissent.

“For too long there has been a gridlock in Washington,” said Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.). “So the agreement which has been forged is of critical importance.”

The measure, which includes $500 million for a summer jobs program for 360,000 inner-city youth and an equal amount for disaster loans and relief payments, was approved in advance by the Bush Administration in negotiations with Democratic congressional leaders.

The final version of the bill dropped almost $1 billion from a Senate-approved measure that also would have provided emergency funds for a summer Head Start program, extra school aid for poor students and an Administration crime-fighting program known as “weed and seed.”

House Democratic leaders acknowledged that they could not muster the votes to pass a $2-billion version of the measure that emerged from a Senate-House conference and immediately drew a Bush veto threat.

The bill subsequently was scaled down enough to get Bush’s agreement so that it could be rushed through Congress in time to establish a summer jobs program and replenish the disaster loan and emergency relief funds of federal agencies.

Even so, 117 Republicans and 51 Democrats voted against the bill in the House, with some opponents contending that it was a waste of money and Rep. Craig T. James (R-Fla.) arguing that it would reward “negligence” by the Los Angeles police during the riots in late April.

On the other side, many members of Congress said that the measure was only a small down payment in response to deep-seated urban problems.

“This is just the first step in a long process to bring order to our urban communities,” said Rep. Julian C. Dixon (D-Los Angeles), a key supporter of the bill.

“This is only a scratch on the surface compared to what we ought to be doing,” added Rep. Charles E. Bennett (D-Fla.).

House Minority Leader Robert H. Michel (R-Ill.) declared: “Common sense has prevailed. . . . Jobs represent one of the best ways of keeping kids off the streets and from getting into trouble.”

Congressional leaders have been negotiating with Administration officials on a larger urban aid package, including President Bush’s proposed enterprise zones and an expanded job training program but final agreement remained elusive.

House Majority Leader Richard A. Gephardt (D-Mo.) promised that a bill including some form of enterprise zones designed to encourage inner-city investment would be brought up for a vote before the House adjourns for its July 4 recess.

But he pleaded with the House not to reject the urban aid bill on grounds that it would add to the federal budget deficit. As an emergency designated by Congress and the President, it does not have to meet pay-as-you-go requirements of the Budget Enforcement Act.

“This is a time to do something,” Gephardt declared.

The bill would allocate about $170 million for the Small Business Administration that is expected to generate $500 million worth of loans, as well as $300 million for relief payments by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The summer jobs funds would provide $100 million for the 75 largest cities, including Los Angeles, and distribute another $400 million to all 50 states.

Vote on Urban Aid Bill

Here is how members of the California delegation voted on an emergency urban aid bill for Los Angeles and other cities:

Democrats for--Anderson, Beilenson, Berman, Boxer, Brown, Condit, Dellums, Dixon, Dooley, Dymally, Edwards, Fazio, Lantos, Lehman, Levine, Martinez, Matsui, Miller, Mineta, Panetta, Pelosi, Roybal, Stark, Torres, Waters, Waxman.

Republicans for--Campbell, Lewis, Lowery.

Democrats against--None.

Republicans against--Cox, Cunningham, Dannemeyer, Doolittle, Dornan, Dreier, Gallegly, Herger, Hunter, Lagomarsino, McCandless, Moorhead, Packard, Riggs, Rohrabacher, Thomas.

Help for the Inner Cities

The package approved Thursday would boost the number of summer jobs in inner cities and assist victims of the Los Angeles riots. Beginning as a $2-billion measure, it was trimmed to $1 billion in committee:

What Survived

Funding that doubles spending for summer jobs: $500 million

Replenishment of federal accounts providing business loans and emergency grants: $494.6 million

Major Items Left Out of Compromise Bill

Summer Head Start Program: $250 million

Additional education funds for inner cities: $250 million

“Weed and seed” anti-crime program: $250 million

Part of the request for summer jobs: $175 million

Next step: Approval from the Senate and President Bush. For the money to flow, the President must declare a budgetary emergency. That would allow the funds to fall outside budget limits set for the current fiscal year, thus adding to the deficit. The money would become available after the measure is signed into law.