Deal to Cut $38 Billion Averts Shutdown
By CARL HULSE
NYT
WASHINGTON — Congressional leaders and President Obama headed off a shutdown of the government with less than two hours to spare Friday night under a tentative budget deal that would cut $38 billion from federal spending this year.
After days of tense negotiations and partisan quarrelling, House Republicans came to preliminary terms with the White House and Senate Democrats over financing the government for the next six months, resolving a stubborn impasse that had threatened to disrupt federal operations across the country and around the globe.
Speaker John A. Boehner, who had pressed Democrats for cuts sought by members of the conservative new House majority, presented the package of widespread spending reductions and policy provisions and won a positive response from his rank and file shortly before 11 p.m.
Both Democrats and Republicans proclaimed they had reached a deal and would begin the necessary steps to pass the bill and send it to Mr. Obama next week.
(More here.)
NYT
WASHINGTON — Congressional leaders and President Obama headed off a shutdown of the government with less than two hours to spare Friday night under a tentative budget deal that would cut $38 billion from federal spending this year.
After days of tense negotiations and partisan quarrelling, House Republicans came to preliminary terms with the White House and Senate Democrats over financing the government for the next six months, resolving a stubborn impasse that had threatened to disrupt federal operations across the country and around the globe.
Speaker John A. Boehner, who had pressed Democrats for cuts sought by members of the conservative new House majority, presented the package of widespread spending reductions and policy provisions and won a positive response from his rank and file shortly before 11 p.m.
Both Democrats and Republicans proclaimed they had reached a deal and would begin the necessary steps to pass the bill and send it to Mr. Obama next week.
(More here.)
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1 Comments:
Did you noticed that amongst all the funding cuts was at least one new funding proposal ?
The funding was not included in the H.R. 1 legislation which was the basis for the House of Representatives cuts.
The funding could create jobs and invest in education (although John Kline’s (R-MN-02) Education Committee held no hearings). The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that implementing the bill would cost $300 million over the 2012-2016 period … in short, the legislation increases federal spending without an equivalent offset … it adds to the deficit.
So, it’s a jobs bill … it’s an education bill that avoided the powerful Chairman of the Education Committee … it spends money … therefore, it must be a bill championed by Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats — Correct ?
Well … no it is championed by John Boehner (R-OH-08).
The Republican Study Committee has proposed eliminating duplicative education programs, specifically, mentioning “pet projects created by Members of Congress or past Administrations, and all are highly restrictive, serving only a limited group of students”. Isn’t this that type of program ?
NOTE : Mr. Boehner is a graduate of the all-male, private Archbishop Henry K. Moeller High School.
Essentially, what the legislation provides is funding for Washington D.C. students attending elementary school a scholarship up to $8,000 per year and students attending high school a scholarship in the amount of up to $12,000 per year. This type of program was created during the Bush years but Obama was cutting it.
Who benefits by this type of program ?
Private schools that are likely to get funding under the Boehner plan are operated by the Catholic Church. For example, in the first year of the original program, 14-member Center City Consortium of Catholic schools enrollment increased by 400 students due to this program. Additionally, Baptist, Adventist and Islamic schools are also expected to participate.
It's still an insiders game and Boehner got his program funded.
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