Members of Ark congressional delegation differ on chances of avoiding fiscal cliff

- Christina's Blog

Members of Ark congressional delegation differ on chances of avoiding fiscal cliff

Posted: Updated:

By John Lyon, Arkansas News Bureau - email

LITTLE ROCK (Arkansas News Bureau) — As the U.S. House prepared to meet Sunday for a last-ditch effort to avoid the New Year's Eve "fiscal cliff," members of Arkansas' congressional delegation differed on the likelihood of a successful resolution to the current budget impasse.

In interviews Friday, U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor, D-Ark., said he was optimistic about the chances for a meaningful agreement, while U.S. Rep. Steve Womack, R-Rogers, said avoiding the fiscal cliff appeared unlikely. Others in the delegation fell somewhere in between.

If a budget agreement is not reached by midnight on New Year's Eve, a series of automatic tax increases and budget cuts will be triggered that, according to the Congressional Budget Office, could lead to a mild recession in the first half of 2013. Households would see an average federal tax increase of $3,446, and most federal departments would share in a $110 billion spending cut — including about a 9 percent to the military's budget.

Click here for more on this story from the Arkansas News Bureau.

PoliticalMore>>
Early vote points to close race as LA picks mayor
Early vote points to close race as LA picks mayor
Los Angeles is about to elect its next mayor.More >>
An early count of mail-in ballots Tuesday pointed to a close race for Los Angeles mayor.More >>
Apple case seen as possible spur to tax action
Apple case seen as possible spur to tax action
A Senate panel says Apple Inc. is avoiding paying billions of dollars in U.S. taxes, but the world's most valuable company says it is complying with the laws and pays "an extraordinary amount" in taxes to the...More >>
Now that tech darling Apple Inc. has been dragged front and center into the debate over the U.S. tax code, lawmakers are hoping that the spotlight on such a high-profile company could be the catalyst for Congress to take...More >>
Senate panel approves immigration bill
Senate panel approves immigration bill
The Senate Judiciary Committee hopes to nail down an elusive compromise on high-tech visas and may punt a controversy over gay marriage to the full Senate as it makes final drafting decisions on immigration...More >>
Far-reaching legislation that grants a chance at citizenship to millions of immigrants living illegally in the United States cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee on a solid bipartisan vote Tuesday night after supporters...More >>
Biden: Jewish leaders drove gay marriage changes
Biden: Jewish leaders drove gay marriage changes
Vice President Joe Biden is praising Jewish leaders for helping change American attitudes about gay marriage and other issues.More >>
Vice President Joe Biden is praising Jewish leaders for helping change American attitudes about gay marriage and other issues.More >>
FBI ID's Benghazi suspects _ but no arrests yet
FBI ID's Benghazi suspects _ but no arrests yet
U.S. officials say they have identified five men they believe might be behind the attack on the diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya, last year. The officials say they have enough evidence to justify seizing them...More >>
The U.S. has identified five men who might be responsible for the attack on the diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya, last year, and has enough evidence to justify seizing them by military force as suspected terrorists,...More >>
Obama voices support for Senate immigration bill
Obama voices support for Senate immigration bill
President Barack Obama says a far-reaching immigration overhaul approved by a Senate panel is largely consistent with his own principles.More >>
President Barack Obama says a far-reaching immigration overhaul approved by a Senate panel is largely consistent with his own principles.More >>
Pentagon wants $450M for Guantanamo prison
Pentagon wants $450M for Guantanamo prison
The Pentagon wants more than $450 million for maintaining and upgrading the Guantanamo Bay prison that President Barack Obama wants to close.More >>
The Pentagon is asking Congress for more than $450 million for maintaining and upgrading the Guantanamo Bay prison that President Barack Obama wants to close.More >>
IRS official to take the 5th at House hearing
IRS official to take the 5th at House hearing
The former head of the Internal Revenue Service heads to Capitol Hill on Tuesday, giving lawmakers their first opportunity to question the man who ran the agency when agents were improperly targeting tea party groups.More >>
Summoned by Congress, a key figure in the Internal Revenue Service's targeting of conservative groups plans to invoke her constitutional right against self-incrimination and decline to testify at a congressional hearing...More >>
Key senator to let Myanmar sanctions bill lapse
Key senator to let Myanmar sanctions bill lapse
Lawmakers are asking Myanmar President Thein Sein (tane sane) to free nearly 250 political prisoners.More >>
Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell, easing up on his long-held tough stance on Myanmar, said Tuesday he planned to allow key sanctions legislation against the Southeast Asian nation to lapse because of the country's...More >>
No new funds needed for Okla. tornado recovery
No new funds needed for Okla. tornado recovery
Top lawmakers and officials say the federal government has plenty of money on hand to pay for recovery efforts in the devastating tornado that struck Oklahoma.More >>
Top lawmakers and officials said Tuesday that the federal government has plenty of money on hand to pay for recovery efforts in the wake of the devastating tornado that struck Oklahoma.More >>

Ark cong. delegation differs on chances of avoiding fiscal cliff - KATV - Breaking News, Weather and Razorback Sports

Members of Ark congressional delegation differ on chances of avoiding fiscal cliff

PoliticalMore>>