Defectors push GOP to seek Dem. support

WASHINGTON, April 13 (UPI) -- Republican lawmakers may need to get Democratic support to keep the U.S. government financed for the rest of the fiscal year, the No. 2 House Republican said.

House GOP vote counters "indicate there is strong Republican support and we're going to pass this bill with Republicans," Rep. Eric Cantor, R-Va., told reporters Tuesday. But he said he was not certain the bill would pass without support from Democrats.

"Certainly we'll always ask for them," he said of Democrats.

Tea Party-supported Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, said Tuesday he would oppose the measure because it didn't cut enough federal spending.

"While I respect that some of my Republican colleagues will ultimately support this spending deal, I believe voters are asking us to set our sights higher," Jordan said in a statement.

The bill for the current fiscal year, worked out late Friday night, makes more than $38 billion in non-defense spending cuts through Sept. 30.

Many traditionally Democratic priorities are targeted, including $700 million cut from clean and safe drinking-water programs, $390 million from heating subsidies, $276 million from pandemic flu-prevention programs and $390 from emergency heating assistance to low-income families, budget figures released Tuesday indicated.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency would lose $1.6 billion, or a 16 percent of its budget, and the departments of Transportation and Housing and Urban Development would drop $12.3 billion, or 18 percent.

About $1.5 billion from President Barack Obama's $8 billion initiative to spur high-speed rail development would also go away, the budget figures indicated.

But some Republicans -- including those pledging during last year's campaign to cut $100 billion from the budget -- said House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, should have insisted on the unprecedented $61 billion in cuts the GOP-controlled House approved Feb. 19, The Washington Examiner reported.

Tea Party Caucus Chairwoman Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., Tea Party activist Rep. Steve Southerland, R-Fla., and former House Republican Conference Committee Chairman Mike Pence, R-Ind., also said they would vote against Friday's compromise budget.

The GOP defections sent House Republicans scrambling to secure the votes needed to pass the bill, The New York Times said. If more than 24 Republican members defect, Democrats would be needed to pass the legislation.

A growing number of Democrats said they would vote against the deal because of cuts to social programs.

If the bill fails to pass Thursday, the government would shut down Friday without another stopgap spending bill.

The House Thursday will also vote on two separate measures -- one to end all federal funding for Planned Parenthood and another to undo the Obama administration's healthcare overhaul.

If the bills are approved, they will go to the Democratic-controlled Senate for a vote, also Thursday.