Report indicates that House-Senate negotiators are nearing agreement on a $45 billion five-year savings target through an array of program cuts, pension premium increases and broadcast spectrum sales. The measure would move as a stand-alone "reconciliation" bill, which is not subject to filibuster in the Senate. House Budget Chairman Jim Nussle, R-Iowa, and other top lawmakers and staff expressed optimism the package could be completed this year. But major hurdles remain on how to reach $45 billion in savings, with drilling in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, food stamps and other programs still unresolved and casting doubt on the timetable set by GOP leaders. Senate Budget Chairman Judd Gregg, R-N.H., conceded that completing the deficit-cutting bill by Christmas was "problematic" but that progress might speed up once the Senate reconvenes next week.
Since the immigration packet is part of S.1932, its future depends on two movements: (1) Whether or not the conference committee will be able to revive the immigration packet in the conference final agreement and whether or not both House and Senate would pass such conference report. (2) More importantly, whether or not the whole bill, S. 1932 will be able to make it before the the year-end recess. The next week will mark a critical point in time to learn the answers to these questions.