Congress Approves Aid to Panama, Nicaragua

WASHINGTON — Congress, anxious to leave town for a Memorial Day recess, wrapped up work early today on a $4-billion spending bill that includes aid President Bush has urgently sought for new governments in Panama and Nicaragua.

The House approved the measure on a 308-108 vote, and the Senate passed it on a voice vote shortly after midnight. The bill now goes to President Bush, who is expected to sign it quickly.

The bill also includes millions of dollars for domestic programs in the current fiscal year. But from Bush’s standpoint, the most important items are $300 million to bolster the struggling new government of Violeta Barrios de Chamorro in Nicaragua and $420 million to help the economy of Panama recover from U.S. trade sanctions and last December’s American invasion.

Bush asked for the aid months ago, and he has repeatedly criticized Capitol Hill for what he said were delays that could jeopardize fledgling democracies in the two Central American countries.

But to Congress, more important was more than $3 billion in “emergency” spending for dozens of domestic programs, such as the $1.2 billion needed to make up a shortfall in food stamp funds for the current fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30; $545 million for veterans benefits; $166 million for Head Start, and $432 million for fighting forest fires.