–House Speaker: House Will Pass Another Stop-Gap, Wait For Admin Plan
–Rep. Boehner: Seeks ‘Long Term Measure That Cuts Spending’
–Rep. Boehner: ‘Burden’ On Admin, Senate Dems To Offer New Plan

By John Shaw

WASHINGTON (MNI) – House Speaker John Boehner said Friday the
House will pass another stop-gap spending bill for the 2011 fiscal
year next week and challenged the White House and Senate Democrats to
“determine a position other than the status quo” on cutting spending.

In a statement, Boehner tried to take the offensive on the FY’11
budget, saying House Republicans are trying to clean up an
“unprecedented fiscal mess” that was caused by Democrats not passing any
of the FY’11 spending bills when they controlled Congress in 2010.

“Now the burden remains on the Senate and White House to come
forward with a coherent position that will facilitate discussions
leading to enactment of a long-term measure that cuts spending,” Boehner
said.

The Speaker said that after work on the FY’11 budget is completed
policymakers can focus on the “full scope of the spending problem that
is impeding job growth in this country.”

Earlier in the day, House Republicans indicated they will introduce
a three week stop-gap spending bill that will keep the federal
government funded until April 8.

The House GOP plan will include $6 billion in spending cuts. These
cuts are expected to be acceptable to congressional Democrats and the
White House. A Senate Democratic aide said he expects the House to vote
on the new stop-gap bill Tuesday and then the Senate will take up the
bill later next week.

He said that he does not expect the bill to be controversial in the
Senate.

The current stop-gap spending bill expires a week from today.

The 2011 fiscal year began on Oct. 1 and the government has run on
a series of short-term funding bills.

Most analysts do not expect a quick agreement on the FY’11 budget.

At a press conference Friday, President Obama said this should be
the final short-term spending bill for FY’11, adding “it shouldn’t be
that complicated” to reach a final accord on FY’11 spending.

** Market News International Washington Bureau: 202-371-2121 **

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