Congressional committees weigh budget process issues

The House and Senate Budget committees this week will continue their deliberations leading up to likely action the following week on the $3 trillion fiscal 2009 budget resolution. Democratic leaders want to move both versions through their respective chambers by the March recess in order to begin conference deliberations.

The statutory deadline for completion of a budget resolution is April 15; although that target is rarely met, the truncated election-year schedule gives leaders an added impetus to try to reach a quick agreement.

The budget resolution sets tax revenue and spending guidelines and is a demonstration of the majority party's policy priorities.

Last year, it became a vehicle for debate over President Bush's 2001 and 2003 tax cuts, which expire at the end of 2010; this year expects to see more of the same, perhaps even more pronounced with elections looming in November.

The budget sets a discretionary spending target for the Appropriations committees and can include "reconciliation" instructions to authorizing committees to make changes to mandatory spending or tax policies -- a process that results in a filibuster-proof bill in the Senate.

The use of reconciliation would make it easier for Democrats to offset the cost of measures such as a patch for the alternative minimum tax through revenue increases and spending cuts unpopular with Republicans.

House Democrats are in favor of reconciliation this year, as are some in the Senate, although opinions remain split in that chamber.

Perhaps more than anything, the budget resolution represents the majority party's ability to govern.

Particularly in election years, the recent track record has not been good: Republicans failed to produce a House-Senate agreement in 2004 and 2006, while in 2002 Democrats in the Senate and Republicans in the House could not overcome their differences.