CNN - Budget negotiations on hold - Dec. 8, 1995 CNN U.S. News

U.S. budget negotiations on hold

December 8, 1995
Web posted at: 8 p.m. EST

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Budget negotiations between the White House, Congressional Republicans and Democrats are on hold until Tuesday, December 12.

Senate Budget Chairman Pete Domenici, R-New Mexico, and House Budget Chairman John Kasich, R-Ohio, made the announcement following a closed-door Republican budget meeting. The two said instead of meeting with the Democrats Friday afternoon, as had been tentatively planned, their staffs will continue to go over the new budget submitted by President Clinton.

Republicans rejected the president's balanced budget plan during Friday morning's meeting, saying that it would still leave the government in a deficit after seven years. Clinton rebutted the Republican complaints.

"I've made a proposal," he said. "Now I'd like to see what theirs is."

Domenici said the Republicans will meet Monday to go over a new set of numbers provided by the Congressional Budget Office. But in the meantime, Domenici says they urge the White House to submit a "real and honest" balanced budget.

Presidential press secretary Mike McCurry expressed pessimism Friday over the budget negotiations and the prospects for another continuing resolution to keep the government going.

"We're at a really bad place right now," McCurry said.

McCurry also accused the Republicans of reneging on that part of the agreement made in the current continuing resolution that calls on the budget plan to protect Medicare and Medicaid. That problem, he said, could cause another stalemate.

Democratic governors met with Clinton Friday morning and later reiterated their support for the president's position on Medicaid. The governors also met with Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, D-South Dakota.

U.S. budget negotiations on hold

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