Some in GOP squeamish over more spending cuts

Some House Republicans are worried that House Budget Chairman John Kasich, R-Ohio, has bit off more than they are willing to chew in preparing a preliminary FY99 budget plan that would cut spending by some $100 billion over the next five years.

House Appropriations Chairman Bob Livingston, R-La., Tuesday questioned the feasibility of such huge spending cuts, and Republican moderates are clearly worried about Kasich's plans.

"I personally am concerned that we're going to revisit some fights ... that we haven't won," said Rep. Michael Castle, R-Del., who also questioned whether such cuts are politically popular.

Another moderate Republican agreed. If the Budget Committee begins to talk about $100 billion in tax or spending cuts, "they're in real trouble," said Rep. Fred Upton of Michigan, adding: "And if they talk about eliminating the Education Department and other things, they're going to be in trouble. That dog doesn't swim."

And another moderate GOP member said, "Kasich is always a good deficit reducer, but I'm very skeptical of anything of that size."

But one House Republican aide said GOP members want to produce a plan that represents their priorities. "Everyone's comfortable with putting together a Republican budget," the aide said. "This is the first marker and it will be a good starting point."

Conservative Democrats also are questioning Kasich's proposal. "It looks to me like he's got problems in his own party," said Rep. Charles Stenholm, D-Texas. "I don't see how you're going to do it."

Stenholm said some spending cuts are possible, but he questioned whether the House could pass such a huge spending cut plan. "Where are they going to come up with 218 votes?" he asked.

A group of moderate-to-conservative Democrats also sent Kasich a letter stating that new CBO estimates may make it possible to balance the budget without using the Social Security trust fund in the calculations.

"Taking the Social Security trust fund surplus out of balanced budget calculations is the most important step that Congress can take this year to establish a strong foundation for Social Security reform," the Democrats, including Stenholm, said in the letter.

But House Budget Committee Republicans are rallying around the Kasich budget.

Rep. Jim Nussle, R-Iowa, said GOP committee members have been "very involved" in putting together the budget plan. "It's been a team effort," Nussle said.

He also said the plan represents a series of compromises, stating: "I can find many areas where I'd like to spend more. I can find many areas where I'd like to spend less."

And Nussle flatly denied the Kasich budget is a document intended to appeal to conservatives the Budget chairman is attempting to attract as part of a likely 2000 presidential campaign. "It is in no way a campaign document for John," Nussle said.

Another Budget Committee Republican said the assertion that Kasich is producing a campaign document is a "lot of garbage." Budget member Mark Neumann, R-Wis., also said he likes the budget. "The Kasich budget is a great budget," he said. Nonetheless, Neumann and members of the Conservative Action Team plan to release their own budget document next week.

One key player, however, was not impressed with news that Kasich may propose to eliminate the Energy Department, as he has done in the past.

"So what else is new?" asked Senate Budget Chairman Domenici, who also chairs the Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee, and whose home state of New Mexico contains major DOE laboratories.