AP sources: GOP readies short-term bill if needed

[April 05, 2011]  WASHINGTON (AP) -- Republican officials say GOP lawmakers are ready with another short-term spending bill if needed to avoid a government shutdown threatened for Friday.

These officials say a bill to finance the government for one week will be brought to the House floor if currently deadlocked talks on a longer-term measure fail to yield a compromise.

They add the stopgap bill would include about $12 billion in cuts in domestic programs, and include enough money to finance the Defense Department through the end of the budget year on Sept. 30.

The current talks are hung up on Republican demands for deeper spending cuts than either the Obama administration or Senate Democrats want.

President Barack Obama has invited top lawmakers to the White House for a meeting Tuesday on the issue.

[Associated Press; By DAVID ESPO]

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