House Republicans Abandon Budget Effort

House Republicans Abandon Budget Effort
By CARL HULSE
Published: April 7, 2006
WASHINGTON, April 6 — House Republican leaders on Thursday abandoned their efforts to win approval of a budget for the coming year after they were unable to bridge widening differences on fiscal policy in their party.

The decision to halt the budget debate hours after it had begun and send lawmakers home for a two-week spring recess was the latest and clearest illustration of the Republicans' difficulties in holding lawmakers together with a crucial election approaching.

After struggling all week to round up votes for the budget, House leaders abruptly threw in the towel when they could not find a compromise to appease conservatives who want new budget rules and members of the Appropriations Committee who see those rules as cutting into their power.

"We're hung up on the process right now," said Speaker J. Dennis Hastert of Illinois.

The decision also dashed Republican hopes of giving final approval to a $70 billion package of tax cuts before the recess, although reaching that deal quickly was always viewed as a long shot. Republican leaders said they would try again to reach a consensus on the budget when lawmakers return in late April.

"We're going to stay at it," said Representative John A. Boehner of Ohio, the majority leader.

But with the Congressional calendar advancing, the push for a budget blueprint is likely to diminish as the House and the Senate turn to trying to write the detailed spending bills.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/07/washington/07spend.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

can kinda make the public ticked