White House Offers Another $6.5B in Cuts

The White House has proposed another $6.5 billion in spending cuts, its latest offer in an effort to avoid a government shutdown as another deadline looms. Vice President Biden brought the proposal to talks with congressional leaders yesterday. While it’s far less than the House’s proposed $61 billion in cuts, administration authorities call it a place to start, the Washington Post reports. “We're willing to cut further if we can find common ground,” said a White House economic adviser.

The $6.5 billion comes from a list of reductions Obama previously pitched in his 2012 budget request, says an insider. When added to the $40 billion Democrats already said they'd trim from that request, and the $4 billion included in the temporary spending bill, the offer meets Republicans “halfway” in their call for $100 billion in cuts, says an administration rep. Now, officials say, both proposals will head to the Senate; neither is likely to pass, offering congressional leaders a chance to push their parties closer to compromise.