With two days left until Congress adjourns for the Easter recess, a budget conference report and the supplemental appropriations bill have not been completed. Conferees on the budget have yet to agree on a tax cut figure, but it does seem like the members concur on a discretionary spending total of $784 billion, which is nearly the amount the president outlined.

President Bush’s tax cut took a short detour on Tuesday, when an amendment offered by Sen. John Breaux (D-La.) to cut the tax cut to $350 billion was approved by a 51-48 vote. Three Republican Senators, Olympia Snowe (R-Maine), George Voinovich (R-Ohio), and Lincoln Chafee (R-R.I.) all voted with the majority to reduce the size of the tax cut. Democratic Sen. Zell Miller (D-Ga.) missed the vote. Though it seems the president’s tax cut number is in jeopardy, there are more steps in the budget process that may provide an opportunity to gain back the lost dollars.

The Economic Growth and Jobs Creation Plan Yesterday, the House Ways and Means Committee conducted the first of four hearings on President Bush’s economic growth plan. Treasury Secretary Snow, the first Administration representative called before the committee, deflected Democratic opposition and hammered on the package’s pro-growth and jobs creation features.

Miguel Estrada The new news on this story is that Bill Nelson, the junior Democratic senator from Florida, will break from his party and vote to end debate and to confirm Miguel Estrada to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit if and when a vote is scheduled. Essentially, the debate is stuck in a parliamentary quagmire. The Senate is technically debating the nomination; in actuality, the Democrats are filibustering.

Watching the new Republican Congress work together almost makes me wish for gridlock. Spending is out of control. One of the first measures passed by the party of limited government is a massive, record-breaking spending bill for FY 2003. The GOP didn’t waste any time smashing open the piggy bank.

This week, President Bush will sign into law a $397.5 billion omnibus appropriations conference bill that, when combined with the defense and military construction appropriations that were agreed on last year, will increase federal discretionary spending 7.8 percent over 2002 outlays. When the bill is enacted, it will cap a two-year spending spree in which the federal budget grew by 22 percent. Astonishingly, the only time the federal budget grew larger – 24.5 percent – was between 1976-1978 when Democrats controlled both the Congress and the presidency.

President’s Budget