House OKs $1.165-Trillion Budget

The House gave final approval today to a $1.165-trillion fiscal 1990 spending plan that cuts Pentagon spending, increases many domestic programs and implements a budget agreement with President Bush.

Lawmakers approved the final version of the budget, crafted last week by House and Senate negotiators who resolved most differences between similar budget plans passed by each chamber.

Today’s vote was 241 to 185.

The package goes to the Senate, which is expected to pass it quickly. The plan does not require Bush’s signature because it is a resolution setting non-binding spending and revenue outlines for congressional appropriators and tax writers.

The plan cuts the deficit by $28 billion to $99.7 billion for fiscal 1990, just below the $100-billion deficit limit required by the Gramm-Rudman balanced-budget law.

Critics say the blueprint uses too many accounting gimmicks and artificial savings to achieve the cut in the deficit, making the challenge of meeting fiscal 1991 deficit reduction goals more difficult.

Lawmakers who drafted the pact with the White House said, however, that it is the best deal they could get, given Bush’s “no new taxes” stand and the reluctance of congressional Democrats to slash domestic programs.

Bush announced the bipartisan budget agreement with Congress on April 14.

“Given the narrow constraints under which the budget was developed, I believe it represents without question the best possible budget for fiscal year 1990,” said Rep. Leon E. Panetta (D-Monterey), chairman of the House Budget Committee.

Panetta said that he will push for a bolder deficit-reduction package in fiscal 1991 and that taxes must be on the table. He said the cooperative spirit that produced the 1990 plan “sets the framework” for future talks.