Conferees Adopt $1.17-Trillion 1990 Budget With Defense Cut

Senate and House negotiators agreed Thursday on a $1.17-trillion budget for fiscal 1990, a spending plan that constrains the Pentagon, treats many domestic programs generously and leaves many prickly decisions for later.

On their second day of public meetings, bargainers from Congress’ two chambers agreed by a unanimous voice vote to accept the proposal, which claims to leave a deficit of $99.7 billion. Both houses are expected to give final approval to the document next week.

On May 4, the House and Senate mustered comfortable bipartisan majorities to pass separate but similar spending plans, each of which reflected the budget deal completed last month between the Bush Administration and congressional leaders.

The negotiators from the two chambers had little difficulty reconciling differences over spending priorities, which were slight. The House agreed to the Senate’s higher spending totals for energy and commerce programs, and the two chambers compromised on education, health, law enforcement and community development initiatives.

Middle ground also was found in the $28 billion the package claims in deficit reductions for next year. The Senate agreed to reduce the $2.7 billion in savings it sought from the Medicare program to $2.3 billion, an amount expected to come from lowered payments to doctors and hospitals.

The spending plan allows $299.2 billion in defense spending, $4.2 billion less than the amount needed to keep up with inflation.

But many decisions will have to be made later. The makeup of $5.3 billion in additional tax receipts must be determined.