http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/0317debt0317.html

Debt limit gets raised to nearly $9 trillion

Andrew Taylor Associated Press Mar. 17, 2006 12:00 AM

WASHINGTON - Congress pushed the ceiling on the national debt to nearly $9 trillion Thursday, and the House and Senate promptly voted for major spending initiatives for the war in Iraq, hurricane relief and education.

The Senate, on a 52-48 vote, sent President Bush a measure allowing the government to borrow an additional $781 billion and preventing a first-ever default on Treasury notes. The move allows lawmakers and the president to pay for the war in Iraq without raising taxes or cutting domestic programs.

Hours later, the House approved by a 348-71 vote $92 billion in new money for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and for relief along the hurricane-ravaged Gulf Coast.

Later, the Senate adopted a $2.8 trillion budget blueprint that anticipates deficits greater than $350 billion for both this year and next. The spending blueprint, approved 51-49, little resembles President Bush's proposal last month for the budget year that begins Oct. 1.

The Senate's measure would break Bush's proposed caps on spending for many programs.

All told, senators endorsed more than $16 billion in increases above Bush's proposed $873 billion cap on spending appropriated by Congress each year.

Earlier, Senators voted 51-49 to add $3 billion to the budget for heating subsidies for the poor.

By a 73-27 vote, they added $7 billion for education, health and worker safety accounts.

An amendment to add $1.2 billion for aviation security and block Bush's proposed increase in airline ticket taxes advanced by voice vote, while another amendment added $1 billion for military survivors benefits.

The present limit on the debt is $8.2 trillion. The debt is $8.18 trillion.