WASHINGTON DIGEST: Balanced budget bill blocked

WASHINGTON -- The House last week failed to achieve the two-thirds majority needed to advance a balanced budget constitutional amendment that largely has divided the political parties.

Lawmakers voted 261-165 for the legislation, short of the 290 votes needed.

Proponents, mostly Republicans , said the constitutional charge is needed as the strongest tool to rein in federal spending. Democratic opponents argued the amendment would jeopardize Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and other programs they support.

Constitutional amendments must be approved by two-thirds majorities in the House and Senate to be sent to states for ratification. It then takes approval by three quarters of state legislatures, or 38, to be ratified.

The proposed amendment would have prohibited the federal government from spending more in a year than the revenues it takes in unless approved by a three-fifths majority in Congress. It also would require any increase in the federal debt ceiling to be approved by a three-fifths majority.

"Fifty years with six balanced budgets has led to a $15 trillion debt that we have right now. That's not prosperity," said Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., the bill's chief sponsor. "That is why we need the discipline that a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution provides."

Democrats denied the premise that Congress is incapable of balancing a budget, noting that it was done four times under President Bill Clinton. They blamed the current debt largely on Republican tax cuts and war spending on borrowed dollars.

"The balanced budget amendment is simply a sop to say we are doing something about a balanced budget when we are unwilling to make the decisions to balance a budget," said Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y.

Democrats also cited a report by the liberal Center on Budget and Policy Priorities estimating that through 2021 the balanced budget amendment could result in Medicare being cut by $750 billion, Social Security by $1.2 trillion, and veterans benefits by $85 billion.

Four Republicans voted against the amendment; 25 Democrats favored it.

Reps. Mark Amodei, R-Nev., and Joe Heck, R-Nov., voted for it. Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., voted against it.

CONCEALED-CARRY GUN BILL CLEARS HOUSE

The House approve a bill that would make a state-issued concealed-carry gun permit valid in most other states.

Proponents said the bill was needed to resolve the inconsistent manner in which states recognize concealed-carry permits from one state to another. For example, Rhode Island does not honor permits from any other state, while Oklahoma honors all such permits.

"In my home state of North Carolina, concealed-carry permits from South Carolina and Georgia are recognized, but not permits from New Mexico. Meanwhile, New Mexico readily recognizes concealed-carry permits from North Carolina. If enacted there would be no discrepancy over which permits are valid," said Rep. Howard Coble, R-N.C.

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., argued against the proposal, saying it would jeopardize public safety by mandating that states honor permits from states with lax requirements.

"For states that require age minimums or safety training before getting a concealed weapon permit or prohibit certain violent offenders from getting a license in the first place, this goes out the window if this bill is passed," she said.

The bill would take away state discretion in what permits to honor. For example, Nevada dropped Utah from its approved-list in 2009 because Utah did not include a gun proficiency test in its application process.

The bill was approved 272-154.

Amodei, Heck and Berkley voted for it.

MULTIAGENCY SPENDING BILL PASSES

Congress approved a $182 billion spending bill for agriculture, commerce, housing, transportation and other programs for the fiscal year that began Oct. 1.

The bill, which President Barack Obama signed into law, extends funding for other parts of the federal government through Dec. 16, avoiding another potential government shutdown as Congress haggles over spending issues.

Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii, said that despite reduced spending levels the bill maintains investments in critical areas, preventing layoffs in federal law enforcement agencies as well as allowing the Food and Drug Administration to modernize its food safety programs.

Speaking in opposition, Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., said it did not cut spending as much as advertised.

"I don't think the American public knows how bad they've been hoodwinked by Congress," he said. "We have to have real cuts if we're going to create a future for our kids."

The Senate approved the bill 70-30. Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., voted for it. Sen. Dean Heller, R-Nev., voted against it.

The House approved the bill 298-121. Berkley and Heck voted for it. Amodei voted against it.

Contact Stephens Washington Bureau reporter Peter Urban at purban@stephensmedia.com or at 202-783-1760.