Was the Senate Budget Plan Improved By Amendments Adopted During Senate Consideration?
Unlike the House — where the budget resolution was passed without any amendments — the Senate modified the budget plan proposed by its Budget Committee by adopting almost 50 amendments during four days of consideration of the plan. Several amendments improved the plan by reducing proposed cuts in important domestic programs; one made the plan significantly worse by increasing proposed deficit-financed tax cuts; and many had less real effect than their sponsors would have people believe. One amendment that significantly improved the plan was offered by Senator Gordon Smith (R-OR) and adopted by a 52-48 vote. As proposed by the Budget Committee, the budget plan called for a $15 billion cut in mandatory programs to be achieved by the Finance Committee through the reconciliation process. According to Budget Committee Chairman Gregg, $14 billion of these cuts were assumed to come from the Medicaid program. Such cuts would be far larger than the savings that would be achieved by enacting the
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- Would any Meewasin principles or Development Plan objectives be jeopardized if the proposed amendments were adopted?
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