Budget to Wait a Week

Budget talks broke for the week Thursday with no deals having been struck, but negotiators remain determined to try to reach a balanced budget agreement next week.

Concluding what he had earlier described as a make-or-break week, Senate Budget Chairman Domenici said, "It's a make week. It's not a break week."

Evaluating the talks so far, Domenici said, "We've finished one phase. We all know what the issues are." The negotiators have met every day this week and so far have only agreed to less than $57 billion in non-health entitlement savings.

The negotiators are not expected to meet today, Monday or Tuesday, but are likely to spend that time meeting with colleagues and reevaluating their positions, in preparation for possibly trying to cut a deal next week. The formal talks are scheduled to resume Wednesday.

"We may shock you in the next few days," Domenici said. Domenici said he still wants to push for a deal. "I'd prefer to see if we can get the president on board," he said.

Senate Majority Whip Nickles agreed, saying in an interview with CongressDaily, "I don't want to give up on those talks."

However, if the talks should fail, House Budget Chairman Kasich said he would be ready to move a budget resolution "very soon" and Senate Republicans held out the possibility to trying to pass a bipartisan budget.

Congressional Democratic negotiators conceded that some members are beginning to question the talks. Senate Budget ranking member Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., said some Democrats are warning him not to agree to anything without discussing it with a large group of party members. Lautenberg and House Budget ranking member John Spratt, D-S.C., acknowledged that some Democrats are questioning the wisdom of President Clinton having proposed an additional $18 billion in Medicare savings.

"They want to make sure that nobody is too generous," Lautenberg said. Evaluating the talks, Lautenberg said, "We're now approaching the time where we're going to have to do some fishing or cutting bait."

Spratt also said that President Clinton, in particular, is pushing for a faster agreement. "The president, in particular, doesn't want to see an endgame that reaches into the fall," he said.

Thursday's talks centered on international relations and Spratt made it clear that the administration is taking a hard line on those programs. "They have cut the ... account about as far as they can," Spratt said.

Meanwhile, discussing non-health entitlements, OMB Director Raines told reporters, "We're not where we have to be." In evaluating the overall talks, Raines said, "There is absolutely no guarantee that we can bring this to a successful conclusion."

Nickles warned that if no deal is struck by next week, the Senate might try to move a bipartisan budget plan.

Nickles also said that he now regrets not having passed the centrist budget plan developed by Sens. John Chafee, R-R.I., and John Breaux, D-La., after budget talks fell apart during the 104th Congress. "It would have been better than doing nothing," he said.

However, a White House official said it would be difficult to cut a bipartisan budget deal. "I doubt that that is possible," said John Hilley, the White House's chief congressional lobbyist.

Meanwhile, the Associated Press reported that Senate Democrats had "complained bitterly" to White House officials to stop making concessions until Republicans make a new offer.

The criticism was delivered during a Thursday meeting in Minority Leader Daschle's office, attended by nine of the 10 Budget Committee Democrats, Raines and Council of Economic Advisers Chief Gene Sperling.

Most of the senators at the session were in "near revolt," according to one senator who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The senators were most angered by the White House agreement to add 18 billion dollars in Medicare savings without consulting with their Capitol Hill allies.