Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, April 1, 1993 TAG: 9304010172
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Medium
DEFICIT REDUCTIONS CLEAR HOUSE
Democrats rocketed a $496 billion deficit-reduction plan through the House on Wednesday, paving the way for President Clinton's program of tax increases, defense cuts and more spending for selected domestic programs.The near-party-line 240-184 vote was expected to be the first in a flurry that could put the foundation of Clinton's economic plan in place by week's end. Also on tap for possible completion was the president's $16.3 billion jobs measure, which the Senate was debating.
With senators also ready to give final approval to the five-year, deficit-cutting blueprint, Democrats were poised to hand their new president a gift: the earliest approval of a federal budget ever.
"In the election of November, the American people said they want change," said House Budget Committee Chairman Martin Olav Sabo, D-Minn. "They elected a new president with a new vision for the future. Today's the time for us to deliver."
Outnumbered Republicans complained one more time about the package's contents.
"It is not our package, folks," said Rep. John Kasich, R-Ohio, ranking Republican on the budget panel. "We tried to reduce your spending, we tried to reduce your taxes, we tried to reduce the debt, and we were roadblocked every step of the way."
But it was to no avail. In the end, just 12 Democrats joined 172 Republicans in opposing the measure. No Republicans voted for it.
Two Virginia Democrats opposed the measure: Norman Sisisky of Petersburg and Owen Pickett of Virginia Beach. All Virginia Republicans also opposed it.
At the White House, Clinton urged his troops on.
"It's very important that this week, before the Congress goes home, that we pass the budget resolution to reduce the deficit and the jobs program to create jobs," the president said. "If we could do that, this would be a historic six weeks."
The measure, which does not require the president's signature, lays the groundwork for tax and spending changes that will come in future bills. If approved, the cuts would about equal the budget summit agreement of 1990 during the Bush administration.
Keywords:
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