Bush, Congress face off over emergency funds

By John King
CNN Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bush flatly told members of Congress at a contentious White House meeting Tuesday he was prepared to veto any domestic spending legislation that exceeded a previous agreement with the Congress.

Both Democrats and Republicans at the meeting criticized the administration strategy and said they would continue to push for at least an additional $20 billion in spending, according to participants in the session.

The president began the meeting by reminding lawmakers of a previous agreement to keep domestic discretionary spending to $686 billion, plus the $40 billion emergency spending bill passed after the September 11 attacks.

"I ask you to honor the agreement," a senior administration official quoted the president as saying. "If I need to, I will veto the bill." The official called it a "wake-up session for the Congress."

This official and other participants also said it was a remarkably tense and direct meeting that left no clear path to a compromise.

Senate Appropriations Chairman Robert Byrd, D-West Virginia, described the meeting as courteous, despite the overt disagreement, saying he had "never been in one like it. We had an exchange, but no punches were pulled."

Byrd said he told Bush, "You have a right to veto, I know you've got a constitutional right. I'll support you when you're right, but I'll right you when I don't think you're right."

Byrd said House Appropriations Chairman Bill Young, R-Florida, Senate ranking Republican Ted Stevens of Alaska and House ranking Democrat David Obey of Wisconsin all delivered similar messages.

Members of both parties told Bush they believed as much as $20 billion in additional spending was necessary to finance the war in Afghanistan and fund the increased focus on thwarting domestic terrorism.

One lawmaker told the president he did not believe Bush would in the end veto the legislation. Another said he hoped the impasse could be worked out but did not offer any road map.

Byrd said he told the president that although the United States may be winning the war in Afghanistan, there is still "an enemy within" America preparing to strike and that the government must spend money to protect itself and Americans who are "mesmerized by fear."

"The enemy may be boarding a plane right now, the enemy may be pouring powder into an envelope, or preparing to put gas into a tunnel," Byrd said he told Bush, "Bin Laden's not going to wait until next spring, he's not going to wait for a supplemental [spending bill]."

One member told the president that Americans "are afraid to take their children to school, afraid to go out shopping" and that the additional spending was necessary.

Bush said he believed there was ample money within the existing agreement to fund all key priorities and that if additional money was necessary, the administration and Congress could revisit the issue next year.

House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Illinois, and Senate Minority Leader Trent Lott, R-Mississippi, support the president's view.

They wanted the White House meeting so the president could make his resolve clear and so he could hear the competing view by lawmakers in both parties who lead the appropriations process in the House and Senate.

White House Budget Director Mitch Daniels tried to reinforce the president's case, participants said, noting that only $3 billion or so of the $40 billion in approved emergency spending has been allocated so far.

The lawmakers were not swayed, participants said.

"It is a standoff for now," one senior administration official said.