Pelosi backs budget deal

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Thursday backed the bipartisan budget deal set to hit the House floor, virtually assuring its passage.

“Let’s get through it; let’s get it off the table; let’s move on to addressing specific issues,” she told reporters in the Capitol. “We’re very unhappy about it, but not enough to say, ‘Therefore we’re going to make matters worse by not having an agreement.’ “

The Democratic leader had not revealed her hand since Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) unveiled the bill Tuesday evening and had hinted Wednesday that House Democrats might withhold their support over a Republican move to prevent a physician pay cut without extending unemployment insurance (UI) benefits.

{mosads}But with President Obama endorsing the measure — and with the House set to adjourn Friday for the rest of the year — Pelosi said her concerns are outweighed by the need to solidify a budget blueprint and move on to other things.

Pelosi’s support will almost certainly lead to the backing of other House Democrats, though it remains unclear how many. Democratic leaders have emphasized that they aren’t whipping the vote, and a number of liberals are already lining up in opposition based, among other things, on the absence of new revenue and an extension of UI benefits.

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