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American Morning

Senate Expected To Approve Bush Budget Plan

Aired May 10, 2001 - 09:09   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We go back to Capitol Hill, where the Senate is expected to approve President Bush's budget this morning and the House is voting on a U.N. issue.

CNN congressional correspondent Jonathan Karl is live on the Hill -- Jonathan, our first focus, the nearly $2 trillion budget.

Good morning.

JONATHAN KARL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Daryn.

That all-important budget outline, it's really a blueprint that will set forward what Congress can spend and how much they can cut taxes over the following year. Of course, on the spending side, in the past, Congress has shown an ability to spend more than what's included in this initial budget blueprint.

But, yesterday, the House of Representatives approved it, showing a remarkable deal of a -- remarkable amount of party unity on the part of Republicans. Only three Republicans in the House voted against it. Only six Democrats voted for it. It hit the Senate last night, producing some very spirited debate.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) . SEN. PETE DOMENICI (R), NEW MEXICO: I want to start by saying, if not now, when? If not now, when will the American taxpayer get back some of surplus that their taxes have generated. How big must the surplus be, Madam President and fellow senators, before we get a taxpayer some of their money back?

SEN. TOM DASCHLE (D), MINORITY LEADER: This is a fabrication. This is make-believe budgeting. This is budget discipline gone awry. This is absolutely one of the worst documents we will be called upon to vote in this Congress. We ought to be ashamed that we're bringing this product to the floor -- ashamed.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KARL: The primary Democratic complaint is, they say this budget cuts taxes too much -- cuts taxes $1.35 trillion over the next 11 years, and raises spending too little, especially not leaving enough money there in this budget for top priorities like education, national defense and health care. The vote in the Senate is expected to be later this morning, probably around 11:00.

It's looking like -- initial vote counts here -- virtually all Republicans will support it, possibly two Republicans voting against it, and as many as seven or eight Democrats also voting with the Republicans in favor of this budget -- the first step, Daryn, towards passing that tax cut which is at the centerpiece of the Bush administration's agenda.

KAGAN: Jonathan, another item and still, keeping dollars in mind -- members of Congress none too happy about a move in the United Nations that basically disses the U.S -- what can you tell us about that?

KARL: Yes, no question -- that move, of course, was the removal of the U.S. from the U.N. Human Rights Commission -- members of Congress and the House especially outraged at that because they see countries on the Human Rights Commission -- still on the Human Rights Commission, like Sudan and Libya, countries that have been cited by the State Department as prominent violators of human rights.

Well, they're saying that this is outrage that the U.S. would be removed -- they're saying that if the U.S. is not put back on that Human Rights Commission next year that they will withhold $244 million worth of U.S. dues to the U.N. -- the House expected to debate and vote on this issue later today.

KAGAN: Jonathan Karl on Capitol Hill -- Jon, thank you.

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