Deficit Panel Still Talking as Others Focus on Spending Bills

November 15, 2011

New York Times

By JENNIFER STEINHAUER and ROBERT PEAR

WASHINGTON — As members of the Congressional deficit reduction panel retreated to conference rooms Monday to continue negotiations, House Republicans and Senate Democrats were putting their final touches on a series of spending bills that they hope will avert another showdown over short-term financing of the government.

This week, the House is expected to vote on three appropriations bills with significant cuts to local law enforcement as well as trims to agriculture, community development and other programs.

House Republicans had sought deeper cuts than those reflected in the compromise with Senate Democrats, although many of their priorities are reflected in the bill, including eliminating grants to public transportation agencies to reduce greenhouse gases.

Top lawmakers hope the package of bills will be a vehicle for another short-term spending bill to get the government’s bills paid through mid-December as both chambers cobble together the final bills and try to put to rest the immediate debate over spending for 2012.

Throughout the year, the short-term bills, known as continuing resolutions, have proved a headache for Speaker John A. Boehner, Republican of Ohio, largely because some of the most conservative members of his conference, seeking more cuts, have voted against them. One such impasse nearly led to the shutdown of the government this year.

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