Money for Trump Tower security part of spending bill
Bill intended to avoid shutdown of the government.
WASHINGTON — Lawmakers are tacking money for security around Trump Tower in New York and funds for health care for retired coal miners onto a stopgap spending bill intended to avoid a government shutdown at week’s end.
The temporary budget bill would keep federal agencies functioning into next spring, giving the new Congress and incoming President Donald Trump time to approve more than $1 trillion to fund federal agencies through the current government budget year, which ends Sept. 30.
Current spending expires at midnight Friday. Since t h e measure i s t h e o n l y must-do bill before Congress adjourns, it’s likely to carry several add- ons, including flflood relief, money for overseas military operations and help for Flint, Mich., to fifix its lead-tainted water system.
Democ r a t s l i ke Hous e Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of California swung against a proposal to help speed a congressional waiver required next year to confifirm retired Gen. James Mattis as secretary of defense, who would otherwise be ineligible to serve because of a law that requires a seven-year wait for former members of the military to serve as secretary of defense.
“Brushing aside the law that enshrines civilian control of the military — without discussion, in a massive must-pass funding bill — would set a terrible precedent,” Pelosi said.
One major dispute centered on protecting health c a r e b e n e f i t s f o r a b o u t 16,000 retired coal miners facing the loss of coverage on Dec. 31.
The measure had divided coal-state Republicans. Several supported longer-term legislation tackling the loss of health care, but GOP leaders — including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky — were wary of bailing out unionized workers.
McConnell said Tuesday that the temporary health care help for miners would b e p a r t o f t h e s p e n d i n g bill, though Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., protested that McConnell’s fifix would only last for a few months and vowed to push for a permanent solution.
Manchin vowed to block any Senate effort to move quickly on unrelated legislation until the miners’ fifight is settled. At issue are health benefifits for retirees whose companies declared bankruptcy in recent years.
Also the subject of last-minu t e t a l k s was a n Obama administration request for $35 million to provide security for Trump, whose home in midtown Manhattan provides unusual and costly complications for the Secret Service.
T h e t r u c k i n g l o b b y appeared poised to win permanent relief from recent T r a n s p o r t a t i o n D e p a r t ment rules mandating rest for long-haul carriers, but details were unavailable.