WASHINGTON — Democrats are offering hefty spending increases for domestic programs as they draft an election-year budget plan that still promises surpluses within four years and assumes that many of President Bush’s signature tax cuts will die.
The roughly $18 billion in spending increases for domestic programs funded by Congress each year are included in a budget plan to be unveiled today by Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad, D-N.D., for the fiscal year starting Oct. 1. A party-line committee vote to approve the plan is expected Thursday.
Democrats argue that their plan — which has large boosts for energy, education and transportation programs — could be paid for by closing loopholes and improving tax collections. Republicans say their promises of budget surpluses rely on tax increases on upper-income taxpayers and many small businesses.
