- otus
- July 31, 2012
AC
House and Senate leaders announced Tuesday that they have agreed on a compromise to fund the government into 2013. By forgoing a congressional fight over spending levels, Republicans will fund the implementation of President Barack Obama's health care law and forgo an opportunity to further cut government spending in 2012. The Republican-controlled House barely passed the Budget Control Act in 2011, which pegged government spending at $1.047 trillion per year. In agreeing to stand by the agreement for another six months, the GOP is betting that their party will win in November--which will allow them more opportunities to pass their policy agenda. If it means avoiding a possible government shutdown before the election, Republicans say it's worth it. "We'll swallow it hard," said South Carolina Rep. Jeff Duncan, a Republican freshman who voted against the Budget Control Act last year. "As long as it's a six-month CR and it doesn't have a whole lot of other monkey business...