Congress Approves Tax-Cutting Republican Budget Plan
Congress gave its final approval Thursday to a tax-cutting $1.7-trillion budget for next year, launching a battle with President Clinton, who said it would shortchange Medicare and other critical programs.
The Senate voted, 54-44, on party lines for the fiscal 2000 budget plan, which does not require Clinton’s signature but outlines Congress’ spending and tax priorities, after the House’s party-line endorsement of the measure Wednesday.
The budget resolution is an early step in the process to fund the government, and lawmakers from both parties predicted a long fight over the Republican plan to keep next year’s spending within limits set by the 1997 balanced budget agreement and provide $778 billion in tax cuts over 10 years.
Compounding the Republican-led Congress’ budget problems is the U.S. military action in Yugoslavia, expected to have a multibillion-dollar price tag that may sap resources.
The Republican budget plan calls for putting Social Security funds, which currently account for the entire budget surplus, off limits for other uses.
The plan also calls for $778 billion in relief from taxes.
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