Leaders hope to push $388B spending bill

[Occulus]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawmakers and White House budget bargainers whittled their differences to a handful, fueling hopes Friday that Congress can speed an overdue $388 billion bill to President Bush that finances most federal agencies.

The giant measure, which leaders hoped to pass by Saturday, bears extra money for priorities like veterans, the wartorn Darfur region of Sudan, biohazard detection equipment for the post office, and likely thousands of projects for lawmakers' home districts.

*snip*

Democrats said GOP tax cuts were the problem and that the measure should have been accompanied by a revival of a requirement that the budget be cut to pay for any tax cuts or spending increases. Republicans said Democratic cries for fiscal responsibility contrasted with their frequent calls for higher spending.

"There's nothing like a reformed lady of the evening," said Rep. Dan Burton, R-Ind.

more...

http://www.mlive.com/newsflash/washington/index.ssf?/base/politics-4/1100866742106090.xml&storylist=washington

Would this be one reason for the debt limit hike?

You'll have to read the whole thing; the article also talks about outsourcing federal jobs, among other things. :grr:

[hadrons]

1. they can start by outsourcing Dan Burton's job

[kuozzman]

2. WTF?

"Young said the bill would have been $20 billion larger had he accommodated all of his colleagues' requests for more projects."

Well, gee, thanks you greedy bastard!