Senate vote aims at health reform

WASHINGTON – The Senate on Tuesday adopted a GOP budget that paves the way for an assault on President Barack Obama’s health care law this summer and a partisan showdown over spending bills this fall.

The Senate passed the nonbinding measure by a nearly party-line 51-48 vote. The House adopted it last week.

The measure sets a potential path for a balanced budget within a decade. It promises to cut domestic agencies and safety net programs like Medicaid and food stamps, carve up transportation spending and student aid, and curb tax breaks for the poor.

Republicans don’t plan to adhere to most of its cuts in follow-up legislation, however.

And in the near term the GOP plan promises a $38 billion, 7 percent increase for the Pentagon that is possible only by padding war accounts.

Republicans and many economists say balancing the budget helps the economy in the long run and say it’s better to tackle the long-term financial problems of programs like Medicare and Medicaid sooner rather than later. They also promise to relieve the burden of debt that’s being passed on to future generations.

“That’s really unconscionable, to keep spending money and then send the bill to our kids and grandkids and say: ‘You pay it. We had a good time. Good luck,’ ” said Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas.

The budget plan does not go to Obama, who has promised to veto follow-up spending bills that he says will shortchange domestic programs like student aid, highway construction and scientific research.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest disparaged the budget plan for increasing money for defense but not for non-defense domestic programs.

In the wake of racial tensions involving police and low-income communities, Earnest specifically argued the Republican plan would jeopardize programs that provide criminal justice assistance to state and local governments.

“Republicans have started talking the talk about issues like inequality and criminal justice reform, but their budget shows they are not walking the walk,” Earnest said.

The measure pleases the GOP faithful by setting up a debate this summer that would permit Republicans to finally pass legislation to repeal Obama’s health care law. That’s because Senate Democrats would be unable to filibuster the repeal bill under fast-track budget rules, though Obama is certain to veto it.

But Republicans have no plans to follow up the budget document’s call for other spending cuts with binding legislation that would, for instance, curb Medicare payments to providers, tighten eligibility rules for food stamps, or dump poor and disabled people off the traditional Medicaid program.

All Democrats voted in opposition.