Addressing budget process reform legislation, House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., told reporters Thursday that he personally prefers some type of provision providing for an automatic continuing resolution, despite strong opposition from appropriators.
Such a continuing resolution would keep agencies from shutting down if Congress fails to pass all of the annual appropriations bills by the end of the fiscal year.
The budget reform effort on Capitol Hill has hit some snags due to jurisdictional problems between the Budget and Appropriations committees.
Meanwhile, House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt, D-Mo., said there were "three or four major areas of contention" on the budget reform bill.
Gephardt said members are concerned about provisions revising pay-as-you-go procedures and that the automatic continuing resolution provision is a "tremendous concern."
NEXT STORY: Budget reform prospects sinking on Hill