U.S. Senate Leader Wants Budget Passed This Week

Senate majority leader Robert Byrd said he wants the Senate to pass by late Friday a fiscal 1988 budget that starts reducing the flow of U.S. debt.

The Democratic leader told a news conference and later the Senate itself that the Senate would debate the measure today even though technically the first procedural vote –on formally bringing up the vital measure for action–would not take place until tomorrow afternoon.

The pending budget would cut some 38 billion dlrs from an anticipated deficit that would occur without any action.

Senate Republican Leader Bob Dole also said he wanted quick action on the budget measure this week, before Friday afternoon when some Republicans want to leave town.

Dole said a Republican substitute probably would be offered to the Democratic-written budget which would reduce the estimated 1988 deficit of about 171 billion dlrs to about 134 billion dlrs, through cuts in defence and social spending and some 18.5 billion dlrs in unspecified tax hikes in 1988.

The House, also controlled by Democrats, has passed a similar budget which would have to be reconciled with a Senate plan. President Reagan’s budget was defeated in the House.