White House adamantly opposed to Senate postal bill

[The Straight Story]

White House adamantly opposed to Senate postal bill
By Alyson Klein, CongressDaily


Senate supporters of postal overhaul legislation contend they have changed their bill to accommodate White House concerns, but administration officials say they are not budging from their opposition because several benefit provisions are still too expensive.
Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Chairwoman Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Sen. Thomas Carper, D-Del., are sponsors of the Senate version and have been aiming to pass a bill to fend off a looming rate hike.

But at a hearing Thursday, the administration continued to oppose a Postal Service proposal to transfer to the Treasury Department the costs of retirement benefits related to military service. The administration also wants money slated for the agency's escrow account for pension overpayments to be spent only to pay for retiree health benefits, testified Timothy Bitsberger, assistant Treasury secretary for financial markets.

Collins reminded him that she and Carper have revised the bill since it was approved unanimously by the committee last year to incorporate several White House's suggestions on financial transparency and rate setting. "The administration needs to come up with potential compromises on the issues on which we disagree," she said.

http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0405/041505cdam1.htm

[Tempest]

1. The Democrats can use this

The WH claims the Democrats don't have an alternative plan for SS, the Democrats can claim the WH doesn't have an alternative plan for this.