D.C., Washington, United States (AHN) – Senate Democrats started to draft a budget bill to prevent a political standoff and federal shutdown next week. The draft budget yields to Republican demands to reduce the size of government.
The bill will expedite around $33 billion in program cuts and reductions that were included in U.S. President Barack Obama’s proposed budget for 2012.
Included in the cuts are those adopted by the Republican controlled House of Representatives, such as $8.5 billion worth of Obama’s pet projects.
Both houses need to fast track the budget approval because the temporary measures that finance federal operations are set to expire March 4. Unless a new spending measure is approved, the federal government will have to shut down.
Republicans said they welcome the move by the Senate Democrats to comprise on cuts. The House last week reduced $61 billion from domestic agency budgets for March to September. The cuts were denounced by the White House and congressional Democrats too drastic and pose a potential harm to the American economy.
Republicans insist the $61 billion cut is still not enough. They pointed to a new Gallup poll that said 25 percent of survey respondents agree with the Republican spending plan and 37 percent even want deeper cuts.
To further curb spending, Nevada Republican Senator John Ensign introduced a bill in January to mandate all low-security inmates to work 50 hours a week. Ensign said aside from reducing government cost, the measure would give the prisoners some purpose in life and an opportunity to learn skills.
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