Originally posted by the Voice of America.
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               As US Congress Reconvenes, Budget Challenges Loom

   by VOA News

   U.S. lawmakers resume their work Tuesday facing the major task of
   finding an agreement on how to deal with $600 billion in automatic tax
   increases and spending cuts set to take effect January 1.
   ''Congress and President Barack Obama have seven weeks to either delay
   the mandated package of tax hikes and cuts to defense and domestic
   programs, or to find an elusive compromise to avoid the so-called
   "fiscal cliff".
   Obama is set to host Democratic and Republican leaders for a meeting at
   the White House on Friday.
   Neither side wants the harsh budget measures to take place.  They were
   set up as a way to force the lawmakers to reach a deal to address the
   country's budget deficit after previous talks failed.
   Congress is also expected to address several other areas in its
   so-called "lame-duck" session.  Those include a bill to aid farmers,
   legislation ending trade restrictions so that U.S. exporters can access
   the Russian market following that country's entry into the World Trade
   Organization, and a bill excluding U.S. airlines from European Union
   taxes on emissions for planes flying to and from the continent.
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   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/as-us-congress-reconvenes-budget-chal
   lenges-loom/1544548.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/as-us-congress-reconvenes-budget-challenges-loom/1544548.html