House and Senate to Debate Budgets Next Week

The House and Senate Budget Committees each passed this week their version of the FY 2010 non-binding spending blueprint. The Senate is devoting next week solely to consideration of its $3.5 trillion budget resolution, which does not contain any reconciliation instructions. However, Majority Leader Reid (D-NV) said the possibility of using reconciliation is not "off the table." The House will turn its attention to its own version of the $3.5 trillion FY 2010 spending outline. Unlike the Senate version, the House resolution includes reconciliation instructions to help implement the president's health and education policies.