One week before a possible government shut-down, Senate Democrats respond to an offer from House Republicans that would keep the government running for two more weeks while cutting $4 billion.
“The plan the Republicans are floating today sounds like a modified version of what Democrats were talking about,” that was proposed to Republicans Thursday, Jon Summers- spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada.
The proposal Thursday was different in that it related to a longer term spending bill that would last until October 1, the beginning of the new fiscal year.
In the short term bill, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, Republican-Virginia, explained to reporters Friday the $4 billion in spending cuts would come from terminating eight programs that President Obama included in his proposed 2012 budget and the elimination of earmarks, the same two areas Senate Democrats said Thursday they were considering.
The cuts offered are intended to find common ground with Democrats, per Republicans.
These are things that people have agreed to already,” House GOP Whip Kevin McCarthy.
The Republican plan aims at slicing-away $650 million in highway funds, $200 million in housing funds and $250 million for a reading program at the Department of Education plus it eliminates a literacy program at that department which the administration labeled “ineffective.”
Democrats accused Republicans of wanting indiscriminate budget cuts.