As expected, Congress adopted a budget resolution for FY 2008 this afternoon. The House voted 214-209, with 13 Democrats crossing sides to oppose it. The Senate margin was larger, 52-40; Maine Sens. Collins (R) and Snowe (R) were the only GOP defectors. Seven Republicans and one Democrats did not vote.

No sooner than a congressional budget resolution emerges from conference committee, do we get another obligatory statement from OMB Dirctor Rob Portman threatening to "veto appropriations bills that exceed our request for discretionary spending" and because the budget resolution "rel[ies] on tax increases." Portman's paranoia has him seeing tax increases where none exist; it's his own rite of passage in the Administration, at the expense of his hard-earned reputation after many years in Washington as an honest broker.

In a key development in budget resolution negotiations, House and Senate conferees this morning reached a compromise on the FY 2008 budget resolution. The resolution sets a non-war discretionary spending cap of $954 billion for the fiscal year's twelve appropriations bills. Votes in the House and Senate to adopt the budget resolution compromise are expected later this week. More to follow as additional details on the compromise become available.

Yesterday, House and Senate budget resolution negotiators took a step forward to agreement, but seem unlikely to meet a key but informal deadline.