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Political Notebook: Senators carve slices of budget pie Sunday, Mar 16, 2008 By Aaron Sadler Stephens Washington Bureau WASHINGTON - In a flurry of activity on the 2009 federal budget last week, Arkansas senators emerged with support for programs they routinely champion. But despite the hubbub in the Senate over next year's financial blueprint, the victories at this point are somewhat hollow. The Senate added dozens of amendments to the nonbinding budget document. Among them, a provision by Sen. Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark., to set aside $50 million for veterans benefit claims and one by Sen. Mark Pryor, D-Ark., to expand or build science parks. While the budget identifies lawmakers' spending priorities, it neither authorizes or appropriates money. Lawmakers will begin work on binding 2009 fiscal spending bills this spring. Lincoln referred to her amendments as a "good first step" for Congress. Lincoln's veterans amendment sets aside $50 million to help the Veterans Benefits Administration handle claims more quickly and efficiently. Lincoln won an award from a National Guard Association for her efforts on behalf of the military and veterans. Pryor first introduced legislation regarding research and technology parks, or science parks, last year. His bill gives grants and loan assistance to the parks, often operated by universities. The University of Arkansas operates a multi-tenant science park in Fayetteville. The budget amendment models the Pryor-backed bill. It stipulates that money, if available, should go toward loans and grants for construction or expansion of such parks. In addition, Lincoln sponsored an amendment to expand eligibility for parents seeking a child income tax credit. Lincoln was an original sponsor of legislation in 2003 to enact the tax credit. She said some families now have incomes that fall below the minimum eligibility threshold of $11,750 per year. The amendment sets the income minimum at $10,000 for a refund of part of the $1,000-per-child credit. It eliminates the annual increase of the minimum for inflation. She said the changes would cover 1 million more children in 2009 and 2 million in 2010. Wooing superdelegates Three Arkansas congressmen tried to sell their colleagues on Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., last week at Clinton's Washington home. Clinton hosted the event in an effort to sway undecided "superdelegates" to her side in the tightly-contested race for the Democratic presidential nomination with Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill. A spokeswoman for Rep. Marion Berry, D-Gillett, said her boss said he convinced an undecided colleague to back Clinton at the two-hour reception. But spokeswoman Angela Guyadeen said Berry would not publicly identify the new Clinton backer. "It is up to them to decide if they would like to go public with their decision," Guyadeen said. The superdelegates - mostly elected leaders and party officials - appear to be essential to victory for either candidate, locked in a neck-and-neck race for pledged delegates to the Democratic National Convention. Rep. Mike Ross, D-Prescott, said he used the event to speak on behalf of Clinton, someone he has known for three decades. He was not aware whether anyone at the reception has since endorsed her. Rep. Vic Snyder, D-Little Rock, was also among the 60 or so lawmakers who attended. "There were numerous uncommitted delegates who had an opportunity to talk informally with her as they reach their own decision regarding who to support," Snyder said. Walther confirmed Arkansas' former economic development director got the OK from the Senate last week to head a federal trade agency. Larry Walther of Little Rock was confirmed as director of the U.S. Trade and Development Agency. Walther was nominated by President Bush to the post last fall. The agency provides grants and loans to developing countries who use U.S. labor and materials for the federally funded work. Walther, 60, retired from the state in February 2007. |
