Tuesday, April 12, 2011

2011 Budget Cut Details

The following is just a sampling of the budget details. See the department by department list of budget cuts here. If you don't like looking at the source (raw numbers), Kaiser Health News has a roundup of news media analysis/reporting on the budget deal details. The budget is expected to be voted on this Thursday. Some news media are saying that it might not pass the House, but a deal is a deal. It's expected to pass.
“Never before has any Congress made dramatic cuts such as those that are in this final legislation,” Appropriations Committee Chairman Hal Rogers (R-Ky.) said in a statement. “The near $40 billion reduction in non-defense spending is nearly five times larger than any other cut in history, and is the result of this new Republican majority’s commitment to bring about real change in the way Washington spends the people’s money.”

The Senate Appropriations Committee, chaired by Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii), said in its release that some of the cuts would be “especially painful.” But it said the bill preserves “critical programs” targeted by the original House-passed spending bill, including Head Start, Pell Grants and scientific and medical research programs.
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In total, the bill sets final 2011 spending levels at $1.049 trillion. This is a $78.5 billion decrease from Obama's 2011 budget request and a $39.9 billion decrease from the $1.089 trillion 2010 spending bills, as enacted.

Republicans had sought a $61 billion cut in spending, but negotiations with the Senate and White House scaled those demands back. More at
The Hill