House Passes Ryan Plan to help the debate on the Budget Guide U.S.

April 15, 2011, 4: 33 pm EDT by Brian Faler

(Updates with Schumer, Rehberg and Carney, comments from fifth paragraph).

April 15 (Bloomberg)--The U.S. House passed a Republican budget that would cut spending by more than 6 billion more than a decade and privatize Medicare vote the party line that will help define the fight on the deficit in next year's elections.Legislators approved proposal of the Chairman of the Budget Committee House Paul Ryan today on a vote of 235-193, a day after the recapitulation of the first battle of the budget for the year with passage of $ 38.5 billion spending for 2011 cut. "" Yesterday we cut billions, today cut us trillion, "said representative Kevin McCarthy of California, third rank Republican.The measurement of the House is certain to die in the Senate, where democratic leaders approved President Barack Obama concurrent call to reduce the deficit through a combination of increases in taxes and spending. "House Republicans have left Tea Party zeal to get the best of them, and this vote will reverberate for a long time, said Senator Charles Schumer, Democrat ranked third of his room. "In the coming months, we will miss not a unique opportunity to remind the public that the Republicans have voted end Medicare to provide additional tax cuts for millionaires."Vote BreakdownNo Democrats today voted for the Ryan plan while four Republicans opposed: representatives Denny Rehberg of Montana, David McKinley - West Virginia, Walter Jones of North Carolina and Ron Paul of Texas.Rehberg, which is next year running for the Senate, said: "there are still too many unanswered questions on the reform of health insurance, and I support everything simply any plan until I know for a fact that seniors in Montana will be protected."White House spokesman Jay Carney said "the President is in agreement with the Republicans in the House that we must reduce our deficit and put our country on a sound track on the financial plan, but we disagree with their approach."Carney also said "any solution will require Republicans and Democrats working together, and we are committed to this process."Proposal for CutsRyan expenditure relied exclusively on the spending cuts to reduce the deficit of the Government, slicing $ 6.2 billion over 10 years and dozens of other programs, including the Medicaid, Medicare and food stampsagricultural subsidies and grants for tuition for College Pell.Il calls to replace the traditional Medicare health care system for elderly people with subsidies to purchase private insurance starting with people who turn 65 in 2022. It would also cut the top corporate and individual tax from 35% to 25% rates. The plan would not balance the books of the Government until the 2040.Most Americans pay more for their health plan care, according to the Congressional Budget Office while States may have to cut Medicaid participantsthe program of the Federal State of health care which serves the poor.Representative Allen West, a freshman Republican from Florida, said it was ready to take the plan to his constituents. "I am not here to worry about being re-elected,"said West. "There is a disastrous situation" and "we explain to people, not stand up and demagogue, she and try just to scare people". "Definition time ' Representative Lou Barletta, a Pennsylvania Republican, called the vote a"decisive moment,"said" we do it even at the risk of our own future political - but we do for the next generation and this is what I came here to do. ".After the vote, the House will have to produce additional legislation to make specific taxes and political expenditure changes. This process could produce invoices to depart from the plan of Ryan, and some Republicans said that he allows them to support its budget even if they do not support its policy requirements.I think not necessarily that just by voting for the budget, you sign "" to its proposals, said Missouri Representative Jo Ann Emerson, co-Chair of a group of Republican moderates, known as the Tuesday Group."It has no control over what are committees, "she said." "You know what happens once the Committee process begins." It proves to be very different. "Framing DebateEach side seeks to frame the debate on the budget of Ryan on major topics. "It is important to define ourselves with our actions and show the country that we are serious to get the debt under control, Ryan said in an interview. "Sit and do nothing about it because of the policy would be a huge moral failure.".Representative Rosa DeLauro, a Democrat in Connecticut, said the Republican budget "throws seniors for the wolves."Today's vote opens another series of battles so - called discretionary part of the budget - the control of legislators of areas through the annual appropriations bill. "Ryan plan calls for $ 31 billion in 2012 cuts, on top of $ 38.5 billion in savings approved yesterday after negotiations that led almost to a stop of Government".We will be through this battle even everywhere once again, "stated representative Scott Garrett, a Republican from New Jersey Budget Committee.Ryan said that the fact that his plan comes to a vote shows how" times have changed. "A plan similar budget by Ryan drew 14 sponsors last year when Democrats controlled the House. "Ryan credited his party's 87-Member Republican House freshman class, several elected by activists of the Tea Party for change".They brought a whole new perspective. They have much energy, a lot of resourcefulness, lots of backbone to the Congress, "said Ryan.

-With the help of Catherine Dodge and Laura Litvan in Washington. Editors: Don Frederick, Laurie Asseo

To contact the reporter on this story: Brian Faler in Washington to bfaler@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Mark Silva in msilva34@bloomberg.net

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No Belfry, Just a House With 20,000 or So Bats

 

TIFTON, Ga. — The civic leaders of this south Georgia town want it to be known for more than just bats.

It still calls itself the reading capital of the world, after beating other cities in competition over whose residents could read the most books. And it is halfway between Atlanta and Disney World, making it a perfect stop for families who need a break from the 430-mile drive.

But at the moment, the most interesting thing about Tifton is an abandoned Victorian house filled with thousands of bats.

Tift County declared the once-elegant house in the town’s historic district off limits on Monday after a bat specialist said that maybe 20,000 bats had moved in, apparently for good. That number is in dispute. After all, who can really count that many bats? But still, the fact that thousands of bats are living it up next door has neighbors and civic leaders concerned.

“With that many bats, any house in Tifton is at risk for the bats coming,” said Becky Campbell who lives across the street. “The bats could go anywhere.”

And then, of course, there is the matter of reputation. Tifton, like many towns in the South, has its share of bats. “But we’re not the bat capital of the world,” W. Joe Lewis, the vice mayor, is quick to point out.

Still, bats sometimes get into houses and animal control officers or wildlife specialists remove them. And the house in question has had more than its share over the years. Sometime toward the end of last year, after the residents left and the house moved into foreclosure, the bats really settled in.

“You can’t imagine how thick they must be in there. They’re in the walls and ceilings,” said Regenia Wells, the county animal control director.

Now, teenagers call it the bat house. People talk about the smell, which is an unholy mix of animal urine and decaying wood.

“In the summer, ooh, does that place reek,” said Linda Turner, 69, a retired nurse and neighbor. “You ain’t smelled nothing until you come back here on a hot day.”

But what to do? Bats are protected by federal and state law, so you can’t just out and out kill them. They can be moved, but that method has its challenges when you’re talking thousands. The trick, said a local wildlife specialist, Rusty Johnson, is to seal every little crack and install tubes called excluders. The bats fly out, but they can’t fly back in. The theory is that after a couple of frustrating days, the bats will figure things out and move on. But for a few months come May, when they reproduce, you can’t use the devices at all because they might separate the moms from the babies.

Meanwhile, the bat house of Tifton is likely to remain something of an attraction for area residents like Patricia Luke, 49, who stopped by right after her shift ended at the Golden Corral restaurant.

“I just had to see it,” she said. “I was wondering how 20,000 bats could be in there. But it’s a big house. You could fit ’em.”

Robbie Brown reported from Tifton, and Kim Severson from Atlanta.

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