28 January 2011

Debates over Spending Likely for President, Congress

In his State of the Union address, President Obama called for investments in education and research. He will need Congress' help to fund these efforts.

By Michelle A. Brooks
Staff Writer

Washington — In his State of the Union address January 25, President Obama outlined an ambitious domestic agenda calling for increased research, development and innovation. He will need Congress’ help to make his goals a reality.

Obama’s address to the 112th Congress called for new investments in education, infrastructure and technology, among other items, so that America can increase its competitiveness. Since the legislative branch of government oversees the U.S. government’s budget, the president will have to work with Congress to obtain the funding to implement these initiatives.

For the first time in his presidency, Obama will have to work with a Republican-controlled House of Representatives. The Democrats lost their majority in the 2010 midterm elections, but narrowly retained control of the Senate.

Spending and other economic issues will likely dominate the first few months of the new Congress, two former representatives said January 26.

“We’re in for some pretty tough negotiating over the next few weeks” over budget and spending, Robert Walker, a former Republican House member from Pennsylvania, told participants in a U.S. Department of State digital video conference. Walker, along with former Kansas Democratic Representative Jim Slattery, previewed what is likely in store for Congress and the administration.

“The president gave his agenda on investment in a number of different sectors … the question that will come to the Congress, particularly the House of Representatives where the Republicans now hold a substantial majority, is whether or not all the things he mentioned last night will involve increased spending and where that money is going to come from,” Walker said.

“The Congress and the president are going to have some very serious showdowns over the question of government spending and how we are going to deal with this historically high deficit,” Slattery said.

Government spending and deficit was a key issue in the 2010 election, especially among so-called tea party supporters. The tea party “gave voice to this frustration” and will continue to be a factor in American politics, Slattery said.

One of the first debates will be over the federal budget, which Obama is expected to submit to Congress in mid-February. Congress will also have to consider extending a continuing resolution, a measure that allows federal agencies and programs to continue in operation for a period of time if budget appropriation bills are not passed. Current continuing resolution funds are set to run out in March. This will be one of the first tests of how well the new Congress and president will work together, Walker said.

One action the Republican-controlled House has already taken is to pass a bill repealing Obama’s health care law. But that’s as far as health care repeal will go, Walker and Slattery agreed, since Democrats retain a majority in the Senate.

However, there may be efforts to change elements of the law, including a likely bipartisan effort to remove a piece of the legislation that even the president acknowledged causes “an unnecessary bookkeeping burden on small businesses.”

Much of the president’s speech focused on domestic issues — not surprising, since “that’s where the American people are right now,” Slattery said. He said the main issue is, “jobs, jobs, jobs.”

Unexpected international affairs often change Congress’ focus, but so too can domestic factors. For example, while many political experts are skeptical that Congress will take much action on environmental or energy issues, if gas prices continue to rise, Americans may be surprised to see Congress consider supporting construction of new nuclear power plants or increasing research of renewable energy sources.

“Historically, there are always surprises that Congress and the president just don’t anticipate,” Slattery said. “The president oftentimes can’t control what’s in front of him.”

This discussion was the first in a series of State Department video conferences about the future of the 112th Congress. The next program, February 3 at 10 a.m. EST (15:00 GMT), features former Republican Representative Philip English and former Democratic Representative James R. Jones. Watch the program and submit questions at http://bit.ly/CONXlive.

(This is a product of the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://www.america.gov)