Thursday, March
29, 2007
Domenici Votes on Bill With
Drought, Water & Healthcare Impacts for NM
Source: US Senator Pete Domenici
Domenici, as a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, will serve on the conference committee that will work to reconcile differences in the Senate and House-passed versions of the FY2007 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Bill (HR.1591), which is primarily intended to provide funding to support U.S. combat campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan. The bill passed 51-47.
Based on Senate and House directives to begin the American military withdrawal from Iraq in the coming months, President Bush has promised to veto this bill.
“This bill with its congressional micromanagement of U.S. military actions in Iraq is misguided and sends a terrible signal to our troops in the battlefield and to those they battle. I will support a presidential veto over the withdrawal provisions. We need to get past these political maneuverings and get funding to the troops as soon as possible,” Domenici said.
“I will go into the conference talks with the intent of improving this bill so that much needed funding will also be in place for other immediate needs in the country when we finally collect ourselves and give the President a bill he can sign,” he said.
During committee and Senate debate on the bill, Domenici supported agriculture and livestock production assistance to aid regions hit hard by recent disasters, including drought. The bill provides $4.15 billion for emergency farm assistance, including $2.09 billion for crop disaster assistance, and $1.64 billion for assistance to livestock producers—$95 million of which is for dairy producers in disaster counties.
As ranking member of the Senate Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee, Domenici included $18 million in Bureau of Reclamation funding to address drought issues in the West, and another $7.0 million in Army Corps of Engineers funding to communities with temporary measures to restore drinking water. This Corps aid includes extending water intakes, hauling water, and the like.
While the funding is not specifically designated for any particular project, Domenici noted that the funding could be used to ensure the completion of emergency water wells being drilled in New Mexico by the Bureau for small communities like Capitan, N.M. Another 11 water systems in New Mexico have identified a need for similar water well aid, including water user associations in Catron, Cibola, Grant, Luna, Otero, Rio Arriba, and Sandoval counties.
The Senate package also makes $500 million available for Emergency Fire Suppression.
Domenici also supported the approval of an amendment to stop the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) from implementing a new regulation that would result in the reduction of millions of dollars in Medicaid payments to hospitals in New Mexico, including an estimated $15 million to $30 million annually for the University of New Mexico Hospital.
Contact:
Chris Gallegos (202) 224-7082