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"Some may criticize the President's budget, yet refuse to
offer ideas of their own," said Reid during a floor speech, a
likely shot at Minority Leader
Mitch
McConnell's (R-KY) acknowledgement that his caucus will
not offer a full substitute budget alternative. "We may not
agree on everything, but I know we can agree that after eight
long years of irresponsibility, we must pass a budget that
puts the American people first."
Reid told reporters today
that a final decision had not been made on whether to use
reconciliation protections to move the White House's health care
reform initiative or cap-and-trade proposal for greenhouse gas
emissions, adding that the Senate Budget Committee will mark up the
FY 2010 budget blueprint next week followed by floor action the week
of March 30. (The House has a similar schedule for considering its
budget resolution.) The leader went on to say that House and Senate
negotiators and staffs will have the two-week recess beginning April
6 to prepare a final budget for floor votes the week lawmakers return
to Washington.
The president echoed Reid's floor remarks during a speech
today following his meeting with House and Senate Budget
Chairmen John Spratt (D-SC) and Kent Conrad (D-ND).
"If certain aspects of
this budget people don't think work, provide us some ideas in terms
of what you'd do," Obama said. "'Just say No' is the right advice to
give your teenagers about drugs. It is not an acceptable response to
whatever economic policy is proposed by the other party."
Meanwhile, Senate Republicans continued to slam the administration's
proposals, arguing that it taxes, spends, and borrows too much.
"It is the biggest tax
increase in the history of the country," asserted Finance Ranking
Member Chuck Grassley (R-IA). "They want to make it out just a
few wealthy people are going to pay, but eventually the middle class
pays."
Republican Whip Jon Kyl (R-AZ) took aim at Obama's cap-and-trade
proposal, arguing that the initiative would amount to a tax increase
for middle- and low-income taxpayers by raising every household's
energy costs by up to $3,128 a year. |
