$1T-plus spending bill taking shape in Congress

By ANDREW TAYLOR
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress is putting the finishing touches on a sweeping $1 trillion-plus spending bill wrapping together the day-to-day operating budgets of 10 Cabinet departments with funding for the war in Afghanistan.

The catchall measure has been drafted by the powerful Appropriations committees behind closed doors. It cuts environmental programs and foreign aid, while limiting the Pentagon to just a 1 percent budget hike.

The measure implements this summer's hard-fought budget pact between President Barack Obama and GOP leaders, essentially freezing agency budgets, on average, at levels enacted in April for the recently completed budget year. Disaster money and war funding are getting some additional leeway.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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