Bipartisan negotiators try for modest budget pact

AP foreign, Tuesday December 10 2013

ANDREW TAYLOR

Associated Press= WASHINGTON (AP) — The lead Democratic negotiator says she is close to a deal with Republicans on a modest budget agreement that's expected to replace tens of billions of dollars in spending cuts this year and next with longer-term savings and revenue from increased fees.

"We're not there yet but we are working out details and I'm hopeful," Sen. Patty Murray said as she entered a meeting where she was expected to brief fellow Democrats on the talks. She said she hopes to announce an agreement by the end of the day.

Murray has been negotiating with House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, R-Wis.

The two have been holding secretive talks for weeks aimed at producing an accord to replace some, but not all, of the automatic spending cuts known as sequestration. Budget experts and aides briefed on the talks predict that any bargain may replace $65 billion in spending cuts over two years, with half going to the Pentagon and half going to domestic programs. About $45 billion would be devoted to the 2014 fiscal year and about $20 billion to fiscal 2015.

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