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    December 16, 2011

US Congress Nears Budget Deal to Avert Government Shutdown

   Lisa Ferdinando
   U.S. House Minority Leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi (R) speaks as House
   Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (L) listens during a news conference on
   Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, Dec 16, 2016.
   Photo: AFP
   U.S. House Minority Leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi (R) speaks as House
   Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (L) listens during a news conference on
   Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, December 16, 2011.

   Lawmakers on Capitol Hill are working to reach a deal on funding the
   federal government, while assuring the American people that a looming
   partial government shutdown will not happen.
   Funding for the federal government expires after midnight Friday and
   Congress buzzed with activity as lawmakers worked to agree on new
   budget legislation.
   The speaker of the House of Representatives, Republican John Boehner,
   said Friday morning that a bill to fund the government has been put
   together in collaboration with lawmakers from both sides. He said he
   was grateful they were able to get to this point.
   "This will mark for the second year in a row that we will spend less
   money on the operation of our government, two consecutive years that we
   can cut spending," said Boehner. "It also takes steps in this bill to
   stop some of the excessive regulations that are harming our economy.
   And for the first time in modern history, there are no earmarks
   [legislation that requires funding on specific projects] in this bill."
   In the Democratic-controlled Senate, Republican leader Mitch McConnell
   also offered assurances that a government shutdown would be averted.
   "I think everybody should be reassured that's not going to happen, the
   conference report has been signed and we're moving toward completing
   the basic work of government through next September 30th very shortly,"
   noted McConnell.
   But Nancy Pelosi, who leads the minority Democrats in the House,
   accused Republicans of political posturing and stalling until the last
   minute to agree on important legislation.
   "I think this is a made-up crisis by the Republicans. This could all
   have been done a long time ago," said Pelosi.
   A shutdown would have put tens of thousands of federal employees on
   unpaid furlough, just days before the Christmas holiday, when most
   Americans are buying presents and spending on festivities.
   Lawmakers still have not agreed on whether to extend expiring payroll
   tax cuts for American workers. President Barack Obama has urged
   lawmakers to extend the cuts, saying otherwise taxes will increase on
   January 1st for 160 million Americans, at a time when they can least
   afford it.

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