Politics Digest: Congressional Democrats pessimistic on passing budget this year

BUDGET

Little optimism on passing resolution

Congressional Democrats said Tuesday that they may be unable to approve a budget plan this year because many lawmakers are unwilling, in the run-up to the November midterm elections, to ratify a spending blueprint that is certain to include large deficits.

Although a budget resolution is "important," House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.) said, "it is difficult to pass budgets in election years because, you know, they reflect what is the status. And the status of this country was brought into deep debt by the economic policies of the Bush administration."

Hoyer said that "working on a budget remains something that we are going to do." But, he said, "we will see whether we have the votes to pass it."

Since modern budget rules were adopted in 1974, Congress has failed to approve a budget resolution only four times -- in 1998, 2002, 2004 and 2006. Three of those instances were in midterm election years, and all occurred with the House under Republican control. Even in those years, however, the House approved its own version of the nonbinding resolution, which sets spending levels for the coming fiscal year.

-- Lori Montgomery

SUPREME COURT

Obama, lawmakers to discuss vacancy

President Obama will invite Democratic and Republican Senate leaders to the White House next week to discuss the Supreme Court opening created by Justice John Paul Stevens's retirement.

The president will meet next Wednesday with Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) and Republican leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.). The top two members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Chairman Patrick J. Leahy (D-Vt.) and ranking Republican Jeff Sessions (Ala.), have also been invited.

The same four met with Obama last year before he chose Sonia Sotomayor to replace retiring Justice David H. Souter.