Measure Funding USDA, FDA Signed

President Clinton signed a $49.5-billion spending package to fund U.S. Agriculture Department and Food and Drug Administration programs for the coming year. Clinton said in a statement he was pleased to sign the bill, but disappointed that the Congress failed to fund in full his requested increase for the women, infants and children supplemental feeding program. A USDA official said Clinton would probably use his line-item veto authority to delete parts of the bill. The largest item in the agricultural appropriations bill is probably also one of the safest. The food stamp program is funded at $25.14 billion in fiscal 1998, down from $27.62 billion in fiscal 1997 as a result of welfare reform and a reduction in the food stamp emergency reserve account. The overall USDA and FDA spending bill is down from $53.89 billion in fiscal 1997.