Reid: Republican budget cuts go after ‘little children’

Reid said that he was listening to the radio on Wednesday morning on the way to the Senate when he heard one of his Republican colleagues, who he did not name, say that all Senate Republicans would vote for the Republican proposal that would cut spending by $57 billion from fiscal year 2011 spending.

“For someone over there on the other side to say they are looking at H.R.1 and that they will all vote for it because of the numbers — how insulting to the American people,” said Reid.

If H.R.1 fails to meet the 60-vote hurdle required by Senate rules on Wednesday afternoon, the Senate will vote on Democrats’ amended version of the plan that cuts $6.5 billion in government spending. Both measures are expected to fail to reach that 60 vote threshold.

Following Reid’s remarks, other senators came to the floor to criticize the Republicans’ budget.

“This is a highly politicized slash-and-burn budget,” said Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.). “This debate is about more than dollars and sense. It’s about real people with real lives.”