Highlights of policy provisions contained in a $410 billion omnibus spending bill:
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_Cuba sanctions: Permits U.S. citizens to visit family members in Cuba once a year instead of once every three years. Eases financing rules for imports of food and medicine into Cuba.
_Offshore oil drilling: Continues to lift the quarter-century congressional ban on oil and natural gas drilling off the Atlantic and Pacific coasts; the Obama administration has said it will not immediately issue drilling leases.
_Judicial pay: Gives federal judges a cost-of-living pay increase.
_Real estate: Prohibits banks from acting as real estate agents.
_Endangered species: Allows the Interior and Commerce secretaries to withdraw Bush administration regulations that reduce the input of federal scientists in endangered species decisions, bar greenhouse gases from being restricted to protect polar bears from global warming, and allow oil and gas drilling to continue near the habitat of the bears.
_D.C. school vouchers: Funds a private school voucher program for District of Columbia students but requires the plan be renewed by Congress and approved by the city government to be eligible for further funds.
_Mexican trucks: Effectively shuts down a Bush administration initiative to allow Mexican-licensed trucks to operate outside of commercial border zones.
_Chinese chicken: Continues a ban on imports of Chinese chicken.
Copyright 2009 AP News
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