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Frist offers hope but no promises to governorsSen. Dorgan: 'We can't scrimp on homeland security'
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist on Tuesday offered hope but no promises to the nation's governors that Congress will find more money to help cash-strapped states pay for spiraling security, health care and education costs. Governors left their meeting with Frist and other congressional leaders more encouraged than they were a day earlier, when President Bush said there was little chance new cash could be found. Frist, R-Tennessee, said it's possible Congress could boost spending for Bush's education initiative, "Leave No Child Behind," which aims to increase student performance and measure gains through regular tests, as well as for special education programs. Governors have complained that these federal programs impose costs on the states that the federal government fails to reimburse. "The federal government, which talks a good game, has not fulflled its obligations to you" on education, Frist acknowledged.
He also said that Congress could revisit this year's appropriation of $3.5 billion for homeland security if there is military action in Iraq and could possibly give governors more direct control of the money instead of sending most of it directly to local governments. Governors and local officials say they need far more money to adequately protest citizens. On health care, governors favor having the federal government include a prescription drug benefit for seniors under Medicare that would pay for costs now carried by the state-federal Medicaid program for the poor. Frist said such a change should be linked to a more comprehensive reform of Medicare, but he didn't rule out taking small steps now. If broad changes are not imposed, in 25 years Medicare "falls and it falls dramatically." Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm, a Democrat, said she was encouraged by Frist's comments. "They recognize what we have come and put on the table," she said. Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt, a Republican, said: "We're not asking to solve all of our problems with new money. We're asking to not get in our way." Bipartisan statementGovernors, finishing their annual four-day meeting, approved a bipartisan statement on Monday that said Washington is failing to provide enough money for homeland security, special education and Bush's own education program. Republican governors, backing away from further criticism, refused to include specific dollar requests. After the meeting, Frist said he couldn't quantify how much of the governors' requests could be approved. "There may be possibilities to incorporate part of their requests in coming weeks," he said.
Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-North Dakota, told governors that Democrats in Congress support their requests for more help on education, homeland security and health care. "We need to do much better," he said. "We can't scrimp on homeland security. We do so at our peril." Rep. Mike Castle, R-Delaware, said both Republicans and Democrats would support increased education funding. New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, a Democrat who headed the federal Energy Department during the Clinton administration, said the federal government must recognize the fiscal problems states face. "The welfare of the country depends on the economic welfare of the states," he said. "We don't want to be treated as a special interest group." Frist agreed that the Senate would work with the governors' new task force on Medicaid, which is evaluating and working on the Bush administration's proposal to provide states more flexibility on programs and funding. Copyright 2003 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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We're not asking to solve all of our problems with new money. We're asking to not get in our way.
