*Note: Almost half of the on-topic Mandarin stories
focuses on fiancing $18 billion for IMF (International Monetary Fund),
which is one part of the inclusive federal budget bill. Its purpose is
to help other countries to solve financial crisis.
10.14.98: Budget talks end without a deal.
10.15.98: White house and congressional negotiators meet to work out final details of the $500 billion budget plan.
10.16.98: Budget deal is agreed upon, completed and ready to go to congress.
10.20.98: The House votes 333-95 to approve the deal's $520 billion omnibus spending package.
10.21.98: The Senate approves the package on a 65-29 vote. Just hours
later President Bill Clinton signs the $520 billion omnibus spending package
for fiscal 1999.
*The budget deal package, reported to be 4,000 pages long and 16 inches thick, was so immense that few had the opportunity to fully read it.
*The 40-pound bill will finance dozens of agencies and includes billions
of dollars for financially ailing farmers and the Pentagon, $1.2 billion
to begin hiring more school teachers, $18 billion for the International
Monetary Fund, tax breaks for some businesses and families, and provisions
aimed at boosting anti-drug law enforcement efforts. There also is emergency
money for boosting security for U.S. embassies around the world.
http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/stories/1998/10/21/budget/
http://www.house.gov/rules/96-912.htm
