White House Threatens Veto of GOP Budget Bill

The White House says President Barack Obama would veto a Republican budget bill that swaps cuts to domestic programs like food stamps for cuts scheduled to hit the Pentagon and domestic agencies alike in January.

The GOP-dominated House is scheduled to vote on the measure Thursday.

The White House says that Congress should instead work with him to produce a larger deficit-cutting package blending new tax revenues with cuts across the federal budget. That's unlikely before the election.

The GOP measure cuts funding for Obama's health care law and social services like Meals on Wheel and would require federal employees to contribute more to their pensions, among other provisions.

Unless Congress acts, the Pentagon will be hit with a 10 percent, $55 billion budget cut starting Jan. 1.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)