American lawmakers, battling over spending cuts, minimised the risk Sunday that the fierce debate between Republicans and Democrats would lead to a shutdown of the US government.
"We're not looking for a government shutdown, but at the same time we're also not looking at rubber stamping these really high elevated spending levels that Congress blew through the joint two years ago," said Representative Paul Ryan, chairman of the House budget committee, told CBS News.
"We don't want to accept these extremely high levels of spending while we negotiate how to continue funding the government." Leaders of both parties have been playing budgetary brinksmanship over bills to keep the government up and running.
In the early hours Saturday, newly empowered Republicans voted to cut about $61 billion in government spending. But Democrats in Congress and President Barack Obama's administration, while also vowing cuts, immediately criticised the plan as dangerous in a slow economy.
They say the Republican budget cannot pass through the Democrat-controlled Senate, leaving open the possibility that the government could run out of cash.
"There are estimates that about 800,000 Americans would lose their jobs if you do this in a reckless manner," Democrat Chris Van Hollen said of deep cuts in the midst of the country's slow economic recovery. "We think that's the wrong approach to this. We think we need to get the economy fully in gear, put together a plan now for cuts and frankly we need to look at the revenue piece."
The government is currently funded through a stopgap spending measure expiring March 4, a result of congressional disagreement last year. A shutdown could delay Social Security checks, tax refunds and payments for veterans, Democrats claim.
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