Washington – The House passed a $2.8 trillion budget blueprint early today after GOP moderates won a promise for modest increases in spending on education, health and other social programs.
The House passed the Republican plan by a 218-210 vote.
For GOP leaders, passage of the Republican plan avoided the embarrassment of not being able to pass a budget through the House for the first time since congressional budget rules were put in place in 1975.
Republicans are anticipating a mostly stand-pat budget year, with no major tax cuts on the GOP agenda and benefit cuts doubtful, so the practical effect of passing the annual congressional budget resolution is to set limits for upcoming appropriations bills.
The budget plan, developed by the House Budget Committee and House GOP leaders, drops President Bush’s proposed cuts to Medicare, Medicaid and other politically sensitive programs.
It still dismays moderates by adopting the president’s plan to trim spending by most Cabinet agencies other than the Pentagon and the Homeland Security Department. The plan endorses Bush’s proposed 7 percent increase in the core defense budget – which doesn’t include Iraq war costs – for next year.
The GOP plan also assumes just $50 billion for the Afghan and Iraqi wars.
