news Rep. Hoyer predicts House to pass budget

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Rep. Hoyer predicts House to pass budget



1 hour, 19 minutes ago





WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A compromise $3.4 trillion budget blueprint for next year has enough support to pass the U.S. House of Representatives, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer told reporters on Tuesday.


"I expect to see this pass in the next 30 hours," Hoyer said, adding that the measure likely would be debated and passed on the House floor on Wednesday -- the 100th day of the new Obama administration.

The Senate is also expected to debate the fiscal 2010 budget on Wednesday. The legislation is not signed into law by the president, but provides guidelines for future spending and tax bills.

As part of a deal with fiscally-conservative Democrats, Hoyer also said that new controls will be placed on upcoming bills so that they do not add to deficit spending.

The budget plan, which most Republicans oppose, "Gets us moving toward re-balancing the fiscal posture of America" that brought a huge run-up in debt during the Bush administration, Hoyer said.

But this recession-era budget also results in hundreds of billions of dollars in deficits annually, although substantially below the red ink this year, which could top $1.8 trillion.

The budget plan written by Democrats, who control both houses of Congress, trims some of President Barack Obama's $3.55 trillion request but largely endorses his proposals to carry out major healthcare reforms, increase education spending and take steps to reduce pollution that contributes to global warming.

(Reporting by Richard Cowan, editing by Patricia Zengerle)