Congressional Democrats say Republican lawmakers are ignoring President Donald Trump's proposed $18 billion in cuts for 2017 as the two sides continue to hammer out a spending package that must be passed before the end of the month, CBS News is reporting.
One source tells the network news there is little interest on either side for going through with cuts not related to defense spending.
The cuts for non-defense programs are "dead" and "buried," said Steve Bell, senior adviser at the Bipartisan Policy Center.
But Republicans insisted they are not turning away from Trump's proposals to reduce spending.
"Everything is still under negotiations," said Jennifer Hing, spokeswoman to Republicans on the House Appropriations Committee.
Congress is getting set for a two-week recess, which will give lawmakers only four days to pass a new package when they return or face a government shutdown. They will need to meet a 60-vote threshold to advance the legislation in the Senate. To do so, Republicans will have to win over some Democrats.
And both Republicans and Democrats are optimistic they can agree on a spending bill in time, McClatchy newspapers reported.
"I don't know anybody who really wants a shutdown or thinks it would reflect positively on anybody," said John Cornyn of Texas, the Senate's second-ranking Republican.
"I'm actually somewhat encouraged by what I've heard," he said.
CBS noted the White House had submitted a proposal that included nearly $18 billion in non-defense cuts, including a $1.2 billion reduction to the National Institutes of Health, a $1.3 billion decrease to Pell Grants and another $100 million slash to a mental health block grant.
"All of the committees, House and Senate leaderships are working together to try to finalize the rest of the (fiscal year 2017) bill," said Roy Blunt, R-Missouri, vice chairman of the Senate Republican Conference.
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