Senate seeks 5 percent cut in its own budget

The Senate passed an amendment, 98-1, Wednesday that recommends it cut its own operating budget by 5 percent.

Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.), who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee's Legislative Branch subcommittee, offered the 'sense-of-the-Senate' resolution and will now try to implement the cuts through the appropriations process.

"This is designed for us to set an example by cutting our own budget and not just asking other people to tighten their belts," said Nelson on the Senate floor. "Congress shouldn’t be exempt from the pain."

Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) agreed that cutting 5 percent would be a "small but symbolic step."

Nelson's amendment is one of several that have been tacked on to the Small Business Administration authorization bill have nothing to do with the underlying legislation.