"Lawmakers Put Stringent Conditions on Federal Relief Loans"
Tags: federal aidWASHINGTON — In a sign of the growing backlash to rebuilding costs, lawmakers attached unprecedented strings today [Oct. 7] to legislation that would provide $750 million in federal loans for hurricane-damaged cities.
The action came just weeks after President Bush pledged to spend whatever it takes to rebuild the Gulf Coast, and reflected a sharp change in the mood on Capitol Hill about the reconstruction effort. The fight over the loan package pitted one of Louisiana's senators against the other and underscored how the initial bipartisan response to one of the worst natural disaster's in U.S. history is turning into a partisan fight…
