House Appropriations subpanel approves Homeland Security bill

Work on spending bills have been stymied by the lack of a budget plan and Democratic concerns over a bleak long-term budget outlook and voting for a budget with loads of red ink during an election year. 

The House didn’t adopt a budget plan this year although there are plans in the works for a one-year spending proposal that would cut about $7 billion from the $1.12 trillion President Barack Obama requested. The plan would set a cap for the 12 regular fiscal 2011 appropriations bills. 

House Budget Chairman John M. Spratt Jr. , D-S.C., said earlier this week that the plan wouldn’t include the normal five-year budget forecast that would show future deficits.