Appropriator expects $4 billon fiscal 2011 discretionary cut
The cut would come on top of a White House proposal to freeze nonsecurity discretionary spending for three years.
Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii, said Tuesday he expects the Senate's fiscal 2011 budget resolution to include a $4 billion cut in discretionary spending below the level recommended in President Obama's fiscal 2011 budget request.
Inouye said the resolution would cut the funding from State Department programs, but he added that it would be up to the Appropriations Committee to decide which federal programs would see funding reductions.
Inouye said that demands on the State Department have increased as it takes on a larger role in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"I think the $4 billion cut would be debated," Inouye said. "That is pretty severe."
Under the White House budget, total fiscal 2011 discretionary spending would reach $1.111 trillion and nonsecurity discretionary spending would be $386.4 billion in fiscal 2011.
The $4 billion cut would come on top of a White House proposal to freeze nonsecurity discretionary spending for three years. But that would not affect defense, homeland security, veterans' programs or foreign aid.
Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad, D-N.D., Tuesday said he hoped to unveil his resolution later this afternoon after briefing the committee. He declined to discuss any details of the measure.
But Budget panel member Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., said the resolution is expected to include reconciliation instructions to help reduce the deficit.
Cardin added that he did not know when in the process the reconciliation instructions would be included in the resolution, but said he expected they could ultimately go in. Possible candidates for instructions include energy, jobs and tax legislation, he said.
Meanwhile, House Majority Leader Rep. Steny Hoyer. D-Md., said Tuesday Democrats have not yet made a decision to pursue an fiscal 2011 spending plan.
"We haven't decided not to do a budget," Hoyer said when asked whether the war supplemental might be used to carry a deeming resolution that would set the fiscal 2011 discretionary funding level if they decide not to do a budget.
"My hope is we do a budget," Hoyer said.
Billy House contributed to this report.