Congress Outlays Top Nixon Ceiling by Billion
Despite pledges to hold down federal spending to combat inflation. Congress so far has voted to boost fiscal 1974 government outlays by at least, $1 billion over the $268.7 bil- j lion budget ceiling proposed by President Nixon, a congres- j sional joint committee reported yesterday.</br></br>The figures, based on legislative actions completed through June 30, could provide ammunition for the White House in its battle with Congress over the budget. The White House has repeatedly j warned that the President will j employ vetoes and impoundments to stay under the ceil-i ing.</br></br>Compiled by the Joint Committee on Reduction of Federal Expenditures, the ÛÏbudget score-keeping reportÛ doesnÛªt give a complete picture, be-1 cause not a single regular appropriations bill has yet reached the White House although numerous supplemental funds bills and legislative-bills with impacts on spending have.</br></br>In passing the regular appropriations, Congress may well make cutfe deep enough to offset the increases already Vo^edÛÓparticularly in defense, where Congress in recent years has regularly been cutting several billion dollars from the request.</br></br>Substantial cuts in defense outlays already appear to be in the works: A Senate Armed Services subcommittee has already recommended cutting $885.4 million out. of the $1.7 billion request for acceleration of the trident missile-firing submarine. This slash will delay completion of the first vessel by two years according to subcommittee chairman Thomas J. McIntyre (D-N.II.)