WASHINGTON — Senate Democrats unveiled a detailed counteroffer Friday seeking to undo tens of billions of dollars in cuts Republicans would make to education, housing and other domestic programs.
With the two parties maneuvering for advantage in their budget clash, the Democratic plan conforms to President Barack Obama’s opening gambit to cut another $6.5 billion from domestic agencies. But neither it nor the $61 billion in cuts passed by House Republicans is expected to survive test votes next week in the Senate.
Both sides view the votes as necessary preludes to negotiations on narrowing the $50 billion gap between cuts the White House and Republicans want. Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid called the GOP reductions “mean-spirited.”
Facing a federal deficit of $1.6 trillion, the White House and Congress have struggled to produce a long-overdue plan for the ongoing budget year. House Republican leaders are under pressure from Tea Partyers in their ranks for significant spending cuts, putting them at odds with Democrats who control the Senate.
The Democratic plan unveiled by Reid, D-Nev., completely restores money the House GOP cuts from education, health and job training programs. It provides a modest increase for Homeland Security rather than the 2 percent cut proposed by Republicans.
And it softens cuts to housing subsidies and community development grants, while restoring about $5 billion in foreign aid, including help for allies in the war on terrorism such as Afghanistan and Pakistan.
But it is not likely to please the Defense Department. The Pentagon has already complained that the slightly more generous House measure would leave it without enough money to meet vital military requirements.
Reid promises votes next week on both plans but said he doesn’t expect either to win the 60 votes needed to pass.
Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., a participant in talks Thursday with Vice President Joe Biden and congressional leaders, said the Democratic plan does nothing more than the status quo. It falls far short of a House-passed GOP bill slashing domestic agencies by 13 percent or more on average.
The Senate plan cuts the agency budgets directly set by Congress $12 billion below 2010 levels. The Pentagon would receive a $6 billion increase, which forces deeper cuts on domestic programs treasured by Democrats. The GOP alternative is far more aggressive, imposing cuts that some Republicans aren’t comfortable with.
