GOP targets Dem-supported cuts in three-week spending bill

House Republicans have written another short-term spending bill that includes many cuts supported by the Obama administration, although nearly half of the $6 billion in proposed cuts come from earmark terminations that are likely to draw opposition from Democrats as early as today. Opposition from conservative Republicans is also expected because it does not withdraw funding for Planned Parenthood, and otherwise does not cut deep enough.

The Republican proposal, H.J.Res. 48, is expected to be debated on Tuesday, but opposition to the bill may be heard beginning Monday at noon before two non-controversial bills are taken up.

The three-week spending bill makes more than $1.5 billion in cuts that both the Obama administration and Senate Democrats supported in their latest budget proposals. This includes $276 million for a fund to fight flu pandemics, $225 million in funding for community service employment for older Americans, $200 million in funding for Internet and technology projects, and reductions of less than $200 million in funding for a career program at the Labor Department, loan guarantees for single family housing and construction at the U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Democrats also supported a $50 million cut in funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which is included in the bill. Another $230 million or so comprises smaller cuts that the Obama administration has supported.

The budget makes another $2.1 billion in rescissions of funds that have not been used, and it is not clear whether Democrats will support all of these. The largest, however, is a $1.74 billion rescission for the census. "The census is complete and these balances are no longer needed," the GOP summary says.

After that, the budget proposes roughly $2.5 billion in earmark terminations, which Democrats can be expected to oppose. The budget cuts $1.1 billion to financial services/general government programs, the largest of which is an $894 million cut to a federal construction fund.

Another $724 million in cuts would be made to the departments of Commerce, Justice and State, and $278 million would be cut from the Interior Department budget.

The GOP budget cuts $358 million in funding for agriculture programs, including $133 million in cuts to the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, and a $115 million cut to the Agriculture Research Service.