Senate, House panels approve budget plans

WASHINGTON – Republicans in Congress advanced balanced-budget plans bristling with cuts in Medicaid and other benefit programs Thursday, determined to make a down payment on last fall’s campaign promise to erase deficits by the end of the decade.

Last-minute maneuvering to match Pentagon spending levels requested by President Barack Obama consumed GOP lawmakers in both the House Budget Committee and the counterpart Senate panel.

Yet the GOP’s focus also extended to deficit reduction, repeal of the health care law, an overhaul of the tax code and other budget priorities long advocated by conservatives.

“By demanding Washington live within its means, we are forcing government to be more efficient, effective and accountable,” Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga., said after gaveling the House’s version of the budget through its Budget Committee on a 22-13 party-line vote.

The Senate budget panel followed suit a few hours later, on a 12-10 vote that also fell along party lines.

Critics voiced their dissatisfaction in unsparing terms.

“What they are proposing is to cut programs for some of the most vulnerable people in this country – the elderly, children, sick low-income people” said Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. “At the same time they want to give significant tax breaks to the wealthy and the large corporations.”

Both the House and Senate budget blueprints called for more than $5 trillion in deficit reduction over the next decade, the overwhelming portion of it coming from repeal of the health care law and savings from social programs including Medicaid, welfare, food stamps and Medicare. Details were sparse.