Reid forced to delay trip to India, Pakistan

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., today postponed his upcoming trip to India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Egypt because it appears Congress will not finish its work by the end of the day.

Congress had wanted to wrap up this year's session by Veterans Day on Thursday, a federal holiday. A number of Congress members had trips abroad planned after that.

But Congress and President Clinton still need to agree on the final five of 13 spending bills.

Among the points of contention is a battle over money for new teachers.

The House on Wednesday passed a fifth resolution to keep government agencies running another week, through Nov. 17.

Clinton and the Republican-controlled Congress were getting closer to agreements, the president said at a media briefing today before boarding a plane to tour a Pennsylvania Harley-Davidson plant.

Reid was scheduled to leave Friday on a trip with four other senators, including Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D.

The senators want to talk to heads of state in India and Pakistan now that Pakistan has a new leader.

India and Pakistan, two nuclear powers, are longtime rivals who have been fighting over their Kashmir borders for years.

The senators' trip to Bangladesh includes a "fact-finding" mission to investigate a successful program that offers small, start-up loans to businesses.

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