Republicans promise $100 billion in spending cuts

By ANDREW TAYLOR The Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) - Republicans controlling the House are promising to slash President Barack Obama's budget by $100 billion over the final several months of the budget year to keep a campaign promise made last fall. That's a significant increase over a plan unveiled earlier this week that flopped with Republican conservatives.

Appropriations Committee Chairman Harold Rogers says the move would make deep but manageable cuts in almost every facet of the government.

The Kentucky Republican had warned only yesterday that such cuts could lead to layoff of FBI agents and harm to the nation's air traffic control system. He had originally promised $74 billion in cuts from Obama's proposals.

The new plan would produce actual savings more like $60 billion since Obama's budget asked for sizable spending increases that were never enacted.