Negotiators in Congress work into weekend to avoid shutdown

[WestVirginiaRebel]

Los Angeles Times:

Reporting from Washington— Congressional budget negotiators are expected to work through the weekend on a $33-billion spending reduction package, but the two sides remain far apart on details and have little time to vote before Friday's deadline to avoid a federal government shutdown.

It appears increasingly likely that another stopgap measure — the seventh this fiscal year — may be needed as Republican and Democratic appropriators try to decide which domestic programs and services to cut for the remainder of 2011. All sides in the talks hope to avoid another temporary bill, as well as a government closure.

The Republican-led House last month approved $61 billion in cuts, reductions that conservatives and "tea party" activists still favor.

Facing continued tea party pressure, House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) insisted Friday that Republicans were pressing for larger cuts. The Senate, where Democrats are the majority, rejected the $61 billion in reductions last month.

"We are going to fight for the largest spending cuts that we can get, and I'm hopeful that we'll get it as soon as possible," Boehner said.

While negotiators work on details, Republicans want cuts to education, health, environment and other domestic programs they see as constituting big government. Democrats want to broaden the debate to include the rest of the federal budget not targeted by the GOP.
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This time around, it's the Democrats who want a shutdown. Meanwhile, I think Boehner is trying to get cuts where he can considering the other side still holds the Senate.