Senate bills cut social programs, boost NIH research, Amtrak

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republicans Tuesday proposed cuts to community health centers, national service, and grants to help children from low- and moderate-income families attend preschool as they unveiled the largest domestic appropriations bill, a $153 billion measure that's sure to attract a veto threat from President Barack Obama.

The sponsor of that $56 billion legislation funding transportation and housing programs, Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said the cuts to the HOME Investment Partnerships Program were necessary to prevent reductions to a housing rental voucher program for the poor that serves 4.5 million individuals and families.

Senate Democrats are using their filibuster power to hold up the spending bills hoping the impasse will drive Republicans to the negotiating table and agree to increases for domestic programs matching those for the Pentagon.

Instead the GOP-dominated House is going ahead with a floor debate on a deeply partisan measure that slashes the Environmental Protection Agency and tries to curb its moves on global warming, clean water rules and other environmental initiatives.