Latham favors proposed budget, Harkin critical

The republican-led U-S House is expected to vote on –and pass– a budget compromise today. The one-point-97-Trillion dollar budget for fiscal year 2002 contains one-point-35-Trillion dollars in tax cuts. Iowa Congressman Tom Latham, a republican, will vote -for- the measure. Latham says it is a huge victory for President Bush. Latham say the budget plan allows for 1.35 trillion dollars in tax relief over the next ten years. The budget is expected to go before the Senate for a final vote tomorrow. Democrat Iowa Senator Tom Harkin says the plan is “fiscally irresponsible and has the wrong priorities” as laid out by republicans. Harkin says it is geared towards the wealthy and is not geared towards education or paying down the national debt. Harkin says the budget compromise plan “puts tax cuts for the wealthy ahead of improving education.” Harkin says he’ll likely vote against the budget tomorrow.