Budget speaks languish, shut down looms

Other political news of note

White House threatens veto of GOP-backed one-week funding bill

In a “Statement of Adminstration Policy,” the White House stated that it will veto the one-week measure if it passes in Congress, saying that the stopgap measure is “a distraction” from a long-term solution to the budget impasse.

Updated 12 minutes ago 4/7/2011 6:47:00 PM +00:00 Budget speaks languish, shut down looms White House states shut down will delay pay to troops Boehner: No agreement on budget numbers, policy riders President Trump? We’ve seen this motion picture before

Obama stated in a statement he believes “we need to put politics aside and work out our differences” on a spending plan that covers the government through September, when the current budget year ends.

The president has signed two short-term extensions, but negotiations have proceeded fitfully.

White House threatens veto of GOP-backed one-week funding bill

The veto threat marked a sour turn in speaks that Obama, House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid stated Wednesday night were showing promise.

A partial government shut down looms at midnight Friday. Quarreling consumed the Capitol on Thursday, even as top congressional negotiators went to the White House for more speaks with Obama.

Republicans blasted Democrats for risking denying pay to troops overseas and sought to blame them if the government shuts down. Democrats stated it was past time to complete negotiations on the full-year funding bill and complained about a provision banning taxpayer-financed abortions in Washington, D.C.

First Read: The cost of keeping the lights off

Congressional leaders resume negotiations at 3 p.m. and another White House meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m.

“There is absolutely no policy reason for the Senate to not follow the House in taking these responsible steps to support our troops and to keep our government open,” he said.

Boehner accused the White House of backsliding, adding that there had not been as much progress as it appeared after the late-night meeting Wednesday.

“It’s really just more of the same. We’re going to have real spending cuts. I do not know what some people do not comprehend about this,” he said.

Reid: ‘The issue is ideology, not numbers’Reid stated otherwise, even though he, too, made it clear he wants to avoid a shut down that the White House states would cause problems for combat troops overseas and delay Internal Revenue Service refunds for taxpayers at home.

“The issue is ideology, not numbers,” he said.

Video: Federal shut down looms as speaks crawl (on this page)

He criticized Republican proposals to limit the authority of the Environmental Protection Agency and prohibit the use of federal or local funds to pay for most abortions in the District of Columbia.

“These matters have no place on a budget bill,” he said.

California Rep. Nancy Pelosi, the House democratic leader, took issue with the Republicans” decision to include defense money in the bill.

“For them to want to disguise their bad proposal by hiding behind our troops is really a disservice to our troops,” she said.

Disagreement over policy issuesDespite Reid’s assertion that the two sides largely had concurred on spending cuts, Boehner stated partial agreements were not possible.

Boehner recently floated $40 billion in cuts, more than the $33 billion that the negotiators had adopted as a framework. But it was less than the $61 billion in a House-passed bill.

Other policy issues pressed by Republicans include blocking money to put in place Obama’s health care bill; effectively stripping the EPA from enforcing rules on global warming, cleaning up the Chesapeake Bay and lakes in Florida; and limiting enforcement of last year’s financial overhaul law.

Obama emerged from the negotiations late Wednesday night to declare that differences between Republicans and Democrats had narrowed somewhat. He also stated only urgent action could avert a shutdown.

Story: What a federal shut down would look like

Even a brief shut down could affect a wide range of Americans, from troops fighting abroad who are awaiting their pay to tourists planning trips to national parks.

Story: Poll: Democrats want compromise, Republicans prefer resolve

The move by Boehner to advance a one-week interim budget measure angered his Democratic negotiating counterparts and came after negotiations at the White House moved slower than had been hoped.

Boehner’s move appeared aimed at shifting political blame if a shut down occurs, but the announcement of Thursday’s vote angered Democrats who felt speaks were progressing.

It’s also about the last piece of leverage Boehner had, using the Pentagon budget to put political pressure on Democrats and to seek to blame them for a shutdown. But after a shutdown, Boehner’s options appear to become more limited.

“I have yet to speak to anybody, member or staff, who’s been able to explain to me how Boehner’s leverage increases during a shutdown,” stated GOP lobbyist Jack Howard, who worked for House Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga., during the last shutdowns in 1995-96.

Democrats stated privately that the White House was infuriated after Rep. Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas — the No. 4 House Republican — accused Obama of leaving the speaks to focus on his reelection campaign in official appearances in Pennsylvania and New York City.

At issue is legislation needed to keep the day-to-day operations of federal agencies going through the Sept. 30 end of the budget year.

Vote: Who would you blame for a government shutdown?

White House highlights stakes involvedIn event of a shutdown, officials stated military personnel at home and abroad would receive one week’s pay instead of two in their next checks. Among those affected would be troops in Iraq, Afghanistan and the region around Libya.

Tax audits would be suspended — welcome news to some, no doubt — but there were unhappy tidings for others. Income tax returns filed on paper would pile up at the IRS, and refunds would be delayed as a result.

National parks would close, as would the Smithsonian Institution and its world-class collection of museums clustered along the National Mall within sight of the Capitol. Officials were less clear about the Cherry Blossom Festival, scheduled for this weekend in Washington.

Democrats have ruled out concurring to stop funding the year-old health care overhaul or to deny Planned Parenthood all federal money. Reid has stated he will not concur to any of the EPA curbs.

Short of a deal, congressional leaders bargained and squabbled by turns Thursday on legislation to cut spending and prevent a partial government shut down that loomed for Friday at midnight.

After all-night speaks among aides, President Barack Obama summoned Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. to the White House meeting for the second time in a tiny over 12 hours.

Before departing the Capitol, Boehner urged the House to pass legislation to cut $12 billion, fund the Pentagon through the end of the year and keep the government running for a week. “There is absolutely no policy reason for the Senate to not follow the House in taking these responsible steps to support our troops and to keep our government open,” he said.

At the same time, he accused the White House of backsliding, adding that there had not been as much progress as it appeared after a late-night White House meeting. “It’s really just more of the same. We’re going to have real spending cuts. I do not know what some people do not comprehend about this,” he said.

Reid stated otherwise, even though he, too, made it clear he wants to avoid a shut down that the White House states would crease problems for combat troops overseas and delay IRS refunds for taxpayers at home.

“The issue is ideology, not numbers,” he said, criticizing Republican proposals to limit the authority of the Environmental Protection Agency and a prohibition of the use of federal or local funds to pay for most abortions in the District of Columbia.

“These matters have no place on a budget bill,” he said.

Obama has expressed opposition to the week-long interim measure, and Rep. Norm Dicks, D-Wash., stated the president would veto it. It’s unlikely to get that far — Reid has labelled it a non-starter, as well.

Despite Reid’s assertion that the two sides had largely concurred on spending cuts, Boehner stated partial agreements were not possible.

It was unclear how much the speaks had narrowed the differences on spending.

Other policy “riders” pressed by Republicans include: blocking money to implement Obama’s health care bill; effectively stripping the Environmental Protection Agency from enforcing rules on global warming, cleaning up the Chesapeake Bay and lakes in Florida; and limiting enforcement of last year’s financial reform bill.

‘It’s going to require a sense of urgency’Obama emerged from the negotiations late Wednesday night to declare that differences between Republicans and Democrats had narrowed somewhat. But at this point, only urgent action can avert a shut down of much of the government at midnight Friday, he said.

“It’s going to require a sufficient sense of urgency,” Obama said, “to complete a deal and get it passed and avert a shutdown.”

Even a brief shut down could affect a wide range of Americans, from troops fighting abroad who are awaiting their pay to tourists planning trips to national parks.

The move by Boehner to advance a one-week interim budget measure angered his Democratic negotiating counterparts and came after negotiations at the White House moved slower than had been hoped.

Obama told reporters that his differences with the House Republicans were narrowing but not resolved.

“I thought the meetings were frank, they were constructive, and what they did was narrow the issues and clarify the issues that are still outstanding,” Obama said. “I remain confident that if we are serious about getting something done, we should be able to complete a deal and get it passed and avert a shutdown. But it’s going to require a sufficient sense of urgency from all parties involved.”

Boehner stated Thursday that agreement remains

Boehner’s move appeared aimed at shifting political blame if a shut down occurs, but the announcement of Thursday’s vote angered Democrats who felt speaks were progressing.

It’s also about the last piece of leverage Boehner has — using the Pentagon budget to put political pressure on Democrats and to seek to blame them for a shutdown. But after a shutdown, Boehner’s options appear to become more limited.

“I have yet to speak to anybody, member or staff, who’s been able to explain to me how Boehner’s leverage increases during a shutdown,” stated GOP lobbyist Jack Howard, who worked for Speaker Newt Gingrich during the last shutdowns in 1995-96.

Democrats also stated privately that the White House was infuriated after Rep. Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas — the No. 4 House Republican — accused Obama of leaving the speaks to focus on his reelection campaign in official appearances in Pennsylvania and New York City.

At issue is legislation needed to keep the day-to-day operations of federal agencies going through the Sept. 30 end of the budget year.

Meanwhile, Boehner told ABC News in an interview that he is in lockstep with Tea Partiers demanding severe budget cuts.

“Listen, there is no daylight between the Tea Party and me,” he said. “What they want is, they want us to cut spending. They want us to deal with this crushing debt that is going to crush the future for our children and grandkids. There’s no daylight there.”

The officials who spoke did so on condition of anonymity, under rules set by White House aides eager to apply pressure to congressional negotiators.

The officials stated military personnel at home and abroad would receive one week’s pay instead of two in their next checks. Among those affected would be troops in Iraq, Afghanistan and the region around Libya.

As for the broader talks, it appeared progress had been made on spending cuts demanded by Republicans, though Democrats warned that a series of unrelated GOP policy provisions remain unresolved.

Democrats have already ruled out concurring to stop funding the year-old health care overhaul or to deny Planned Parenthood all federal money. And Reid has stated he will not concur to any of the curbs Republicans want to place on the Environmental Protection Agency.

While the political wheels turned, hundreds of demonstrators rallied outside the Capitol, calling for budget cuts and a shutdown, if necessary, to get them.

“Shut the sucker down,” one yelled, and the crowd repeatedly chanted, “Shut it down.”

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

source : www.msnbc.msn.com

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Budget speaks languish, shut down looms

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