US House Approves Budget for Next Year

The US House of Representatives on Wednesday approved a budget for next year aiming to put President George W. Bush's tax cuts and spending priorities into effect.

The 1.95 trillion dollars measure was approved by a vote of 221 to 207, nearly along the party line.

The Republicans successfully put the budget through the House, underlining the Republicans' desire to deliver a crucial victory to President Bush just four months after taking office.

The Senate is expected to vote on the bill on Thursday. White House officials and Senate Republicans said they would get a crucial handful of votes from Senate Democratic moderates and felt confident that the measure would pass the evenly divided Senate.

The budget calls for a 1.35 trillion dollars, 11-year tax cut and 4 percent growth in federal spending. Bush had long sought a 10-year, 1.6 trillion dollars tax reduction, but later compromised with moderate Senate Democrats by accepting a smaller package.

Many Democrats argued that the tax cut is far too large and too weighted toward the rich, while there are not enough funds for schools, creating new prescription drug subsidies, and other domestic needs.

"This budget is a farce and it's a fraud," said House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt.

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