Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) postponed Congress’ consideration of the fiscal year 2005 budget bill until after the weeklong Memorial Day recess. There were not enough votes to pass the bill in its current form.
Four Republicans were expected to vote against the budget plan because it projects a fiscal 2005 deficit of $367 billion on spending of $2.4 trillion: John McCain (AZ), Olympia Snowe (ME), Susan Collins (ME) and Lincoln Chafee (RI).
Republicans pushed the bill through the House last week on a 216-213 vote devoid of Medicaid cuts, as were seen – and feared by providers — in earlier versions of the budget.
