Republicans detail plan to slash $4B in spending

WASHINGTON (AP) - House Republicans on Friday detailed a proposal to slash $4 billion in federal spending as part of legislation to keep the government operating for two weeks past a March 4 deadline. They urged Senate Democrats to accept their approach and avoid a government shutdown.

Democrats said they were encouraged that the two sides appeared to be narrowing the gap on possible spending cuts, but warned against Republican efforts to force their position on Congress.

"A government shutdown is not an acceptable or responsible option for Republicans," House Majority Leader Eric Cantor of Virginia said in a conference call where he and other Republicans promoted their plan for avoiding the first government shutdown since 1996.

They said failure to work out a deal would put the responsibility for a disruption of government services on the Democrats.

The GOP plan, to be debated on the House floor next Tuesday, includes some $1.24 billion in savings, mainly from programs that President Barack Obama had proposed cutting in the fiscal 2012 budget, and the termination of some $2.7 billion in earmarks, or special projects, that are part of this year's budget.