House Republicans propose deep cuts to District, Metro budgets

By Ben Pershing

House Republicans unveiled a spending resolution Friday night that would cut federal payments to the District by nearly $80 million and slash Metro funding by $150 million over the next eight months, as the GOP seeks to fulfill its campaign pledge to rein in government outlays.

The GOP's continuing resolution is designed to govern federal spending from the beginning of March, when the current CR expires, through the remainder of the 2011 fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30. President Obama is expected to deliver his own budget blueprint for fiscal 2012 on Monday.

House Republicans' proposed cuts -- the full list of which can be found here -- would hit several different categories of District services. Compared with spending levels for 2010, the bill would reduce payments for D.C. courts by $25.5 million; school improvements by $15.4 million; the Water and Sewer Authority by $10 million; the forensics lab by $15 million; veterans' housing by $7 million; and programs for "disconnected youth" by $4 million.

Notably, the measure would not reduce funding for redeveloping the campus of St. Elizabeths Hospital for the creation of the new Department of Homeland Security headquarters, despite fears among some District observers that the project might be targeted.

But the GOP bill does take a significant swipe at the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, cutting grants from the Federal Transit Administration by $150 million just as the agency is preparing to cope with a forthcoming budget gap of $72 million.

None of the Republican proposals are guaranteed to become law. The Democratic-controlled Senate and Obama must agree to any CR before it becomes law, or else there will be a government shutdown. While the Senate and White House are expected to accede to some budget cuts, there is no sign at this point that either will be inclined to accept the kinds of reductions to the District that the GOP wants.