As Spending Plan Details Emerge, So Does Dissent

By CARL HULSE
NYT

WASHINGTON — House Republican leaders sought on Wednesday to contain growing conservative opposition to the new 2011 spending deal as the House prepared for contentious back-to-back votes on budget measures.

With the compromise struck last week coming under greater scrutiny, several Republicans inside and outside Congress rejected the agreement as insufficient, given the modest immediate impact of its $38 billion in cuts. That amount, achieved in part with the aid of budgetary maneuvers, is well below initial Republican aspirations for $61 billion.

“We have to make a bigger dent faster,” said Representative Jason Chaffetz, Republican of Utah, who predicted that dozens of House Republicans would oppose the spending bill.

Tim Pawlenty, the former Minnesota governor who is a likely Republican presidential candidate, added fuel to the discord. “The more we learn about the budget deal,” Mr. Pawlenty said, “the worse it looks.”

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