WASHINGTON — The House passed a $3 trillion Democratic spending plan Thursday as Congress engaged in a day of budget theater that had as much to do with the political bottom line as federal fiscal policy.
With three presidential candidates on hand, the Senate headed toward a final budget vote as well after easily dismissing a politically charged plan to ban spending for one year on pet projects sought by lawmakers.
Both parties seized on the annual debate over the spending blueprint as a way to shape the 2008 campaign dialogue and try to force the White House contenders into embarrassing votes or to build opposition to their policy ideas.
“There is a lot of jockeying going on,” acknowledged Senator Lindsey Graham, the South Carolina Republican who is a close ally of Senator John McCain of Arizona, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee.
The House voted 212-207 to approve the plan developed by Democrats, which would increase spending on domestic programs like education, health care, veterans benefits and new energy technology while allowing some tax cuts pushed by President Bush to expire in two years.
“This budget charts a new direction for America,” said Representative John M. Spratt Jr., Democrat of South Carolina and chairman of the Budget Committee. “In returning to balance and funding critical priorities, it strengthens our economy and makes America safer.”
The House defeated a Republican alternative that would have slowed spending on Medicare and other entitlement programs, permanently extended the tax cuts, invested more in military spending and put a one-year freeze on the Congressional pet projects known as earmarks.
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With three presidential candidates on hand, the Senate headed toward a final budget vote as well after easily dismissing a politically charged plan to ban spending for one year on pet projects sought by lawmakers.
Both parties seized on the annual debate over the spending blueprint as a way to shape the 2008 campaign dialogue and try to force the White House contenders into embarrassing votes or to build opposition to their policy ideas.
“There is a lot of jockeying going on,” acknowledged Senator Lindsey Graham, the South Carolina Republican who is a close ally of Senator John McCain of Arizona, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee.
The House voted 212-207 to approve the plan developed by Democrats, which would increase spending on domestic programs like education, health care, veterans benefits and new energy technology while allowing some tax cuts pushed by President Bush to expire in two years.
“This budget charts a new direction for America,” said Representative John M. Spratt Jr., Democrat of South Carolina and chairman of the Budget Committee. “In returning to balance and funding critical priorities, it strengthens our economy and makes America safer.”
The House defeated a Republican alternative that would have slowed spending on Medicare and other entitlement programs, permanently extended the tax cuts, invested more in military spending and put a one-year freeze on the Congressional pet projects known as earmarks.
Discuss Add this link to... Bury
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