As Congress and President Obama clash over the 2012 budget, they do so without having ever signed into law a spending plan for the current fiscal year. Seven months remain in fiscal 2011, and so far the government has been funded by a series of stopgap measures that maintain spending mostly at 2010 levels. In fact, government operations for the rest of the year could be funded by similar temporary measures if Democrats and Republicans can’t agree on a budget.
House Republicans this week will propose a spending plan to fund the government through Sept. 30, the end of the fiscal year. The proposal reduces spending by $100 billion below Obama’s 2011 requests, though actual current spending will be cut by less than $60 billion.
The plan cuts tens of billions of dollars across every department, targeting Obama priorities such as high-speed rail and heating and food assistance for the poor. It eliminates all funding for National Public Radio and blocks Environmental Protection Agency rules that would limit greenhouse gas emissions.
The budget cuts rattled Democrats but also many moderate Republicans, whose opposition threatens House passage. The Democratic Senate already pledged to block the cuts. If the chambers can’t agree, there may never be a 2011 budget.
