SENATE VOTES $50 MILLION FOR THE HOMELESS

HOUSE IS JOINED IN TRANSFERRING FUNDS FROM DISASTER RELIEF

The Senate joined the House last night in defying Reagan administration objections and voting to transfer $50 million from disaster relief to a program that provides food and shelter for homeless people.

The bill, approved overwhelmingly last week by the House, won Senate approval by a lopsided bipartisan vote of 77 to 6.

The measure now goes to a House-Senate conference to iron out differences, including the Senate's inclusion of legislation, which also passed the Senate in separate form, to block President Reagan's proposal to raise the pay of members of Congress, judges and other top federal officials.

The legislation, given high priority for swift action by House Speaker Jim Wright (D-Tex.) and Senate Majority Leader Robert C. Byrd (D-W.Va.), would transfer $50 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency's disaster relief program to the FEMA account for emergency assistance to the homeless.

It would nearly double the $70 million in federal funds already available in the current fiscal year to aid local governments and private nonprofit organizations in their efforts to feed and shelter the needy.

Only $3 million of that amount has been spent, although the administration says the rest will be released in the next three months.

In a letter of objection to the new funding, the Reagan administration said it "would probably not reach the homeless in time to meet winter needs." The administration also argued that it violates budget ceilings because the disaster-relief fund would have to be replenished, and it contended that prompt response to disasters could be jeopardized by the need to seek replacement funds from Congress.

The letter did not contain a veto threat.

Before passing the measure, the Senate waived budget rules, contending the emergency needs of the homeless justified the action, which was approved 67 to 22. It also voted to earmark $5 million of the funds for mentally ill veterans.

Voting against the measure were Sens. Phil Gramm (R-Tex.), Jesse Helms (R-N.C.), Gordon J. Humphrey (R-N.H.), William Proxmire (D-Wis.), Warren B. Rudman (R-N.H.), and Steven D. Symms (R-Idaho).

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