House Passes $1T Budget

The House squeaked the $1 trillion budget through Wednesday night, with 212 votes for it and 206 votes against. With $46 billion in cuts—requested by the White House—the stripped-down budget matches the 2012 spending target recommended by the president’s deficit-reduction commission. Year-end budgets often reach crisis levels in Washington, and true to form, this 11th-hour one faced opposition from Democrats over language over the military prison at Guantanamo Bay. In the end, no Republicans and 35 Democrats voted against the bill. The budget still has to go through the Senate, which hopes to restore $18 billion for the Departments of Defense, State, and Homeland Security. However, Obama’s expensive $850 billion tax deal with Republicans could end the Senate proposal—and face further Democratic detractors. The White House has put its support behind the House budget.