Senate Passes $2.36 Trillion Budget
By ALAN FRAM, AP

WASHINGTON (March 12) - Republicans pushed a $2.36 trillion budget through the
Senate early Friday, a package allowing lower spending and smaller tax cuts
than President Bush wants and trimming record deficits faster than he proposed.

The plan largely follows the fiscal outline Bush sent lawmakers last month.
Even so, its leaner approach reflects an election-year discomfort that
conservative and moderate Republicans have expressed with red ink approaching a
half-trillion dollars.

The measure was approved 51-45 after Republicans fought off a mountain of
Democratic amendments. Many would have trimmed tax cuts on the richest
Americans and shifted the money to health care, schools, firefighters or other
popular programs.




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