Clinton Releases Fiscal '97 Budget

By Bob Franken/CNN

WASHINGTON (March 18) -- Ah, spring in Washington, when the cherry trees bloom, the bees buzz and the president's budget runs off the presses.

The president planned to release his proposed budget for fiscal year 1997 today. It would be a routine event if not for the fact that he and Congress have yet to agree on a budget for fiscal year 1996.

"It is difficult for both the President and the Congress to be launching a fiscal year 1997 budget when the decisions have not all been made on fiscal year 1996," said Budget Director Alice Rivlin (165K AIFF or WAV sound). Congressional Republicans and the White House are still squabbling over some sort of stop-gap spending that will take them to September 30, the end of this fiscal year.

According to White House officials, the president has invited the bipartisan Congressional leadership including Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole and House Speaker Newt Gingrich, to the White House to discuss the balanced budget deal he and Republican Congressional leaders say they want.

Gingrich said Monday he expected Congressional leaders would come up with a new plan after Congress returns from its Easter break. "Frankly, if we could get an agreement with the president, it could all happen much faster. But, even in the absence of the president making an agreement, we'd be inclined to do something about it," he said.

The White House wants $8 billion restored to a variety of programs this year. Some Republicans have been critical of the requests, saying the additional funds are not essential. "I think the president's budget is going to be a very political budget and if it is that, then obviously it's going to be dead on arrival," said Budget Chairman Sen. Pete Domenici, R-New Mexico (99K AIFF or WAV sound).

"Dead on arrival" has become the traditional phrase the opposition uses to ridicule the president's budget. Republicans are particularly offended by the requests for a $1.5 billion increase for the Department of Education, a department many Republicans want to abolish. They also want to rein in the Environmental Protection Agency. The new Clinton budget asks $300 million more than last year for the EPA.

The administration does call for eliminating 31,000 federal jobs. And there are tax cuts, too; the new White House budget calls for nearly $100 billion worth over seven years.

But the president's budget won't be the only show in town. The GOP president-wannabe -- Dole -- will create a Republican budget proposal with bigger tax cuts and greater reductions in Medicare, Medicaid and welfare. "I'm willing to sit down with you, Mr. President, any time you're serious, " Dole said. "But I sat down with you for 50 hours, 50 long hours in the White House and I learned a lot. But what I first learned -- we ought to have a new president!"

The continuing budget battle is just oozing with politics. And for a while, Pennsylvania Avenue between the White House and the Capitol will be the nation's presidential campaign trail.

AllPolitics home page