Budget negotiators worked late Wednesday to try and nail down the specifics of the budget agreement, but they will need to continue meeting today in an attempt to finish work on an FY98 budget resolution and a lengthy addendum to the plan.
"We're working on the knotty details," House Budget ranking member John Spratt, D-S.C., told reporters, following a negotiating session.
Spratt said the major unresolved issues include Medicare, and in particular the Part B premium, as well as defense spending and how to incorporate the new CBO economic figures into underlying assumptions.
House Budget Chairman John Kasich, R-Ohio, said he remains hopeful that his committee will be able to mark up an FY98 resolution next week. "We've got to get an agreement in writing," Office of Management and Budget Director Franklin Raines told reporters after the meeting. The negotiators have been plagued by public disagreements on what is exactly in the deal.
Democrats insist the Clinton administration's $35 billion education tax plan will be part of the deal, while Republicans insist that tax provisions remain to be worked out.
And Democrats claim that the deal includes a $300 increase in the maximum Pell Grant, while Republicans say that will be left up to appropriators.
"This is a $9 trillion deal," Raines said. "We're talking about the last few billions." He added that, "I'm very hopeful we'll get this all resolved."
Asked if the negotiators have made progress in the last few days, Raines added, "We've sort of been milling around."
John Hilley, assistant to the president for legislative affairs, told reporters that negotiators were scheduled to meet with their leadership Wednesday night to discuss the remaining issues.
He said negotiators will continue to meet today, and remains optimistic that the outstanding issues will be settled.
"I think they'll all be resolved [today]," he said. "We're going to make it. There's no question."
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