The annual budget process is well underway, with appropriations committees in the House and Senate making conflicting decisions about funding social service programs. While the Senate Appropriations Committee voted to shift $7 billion from the defense budget to pay for domestic programs, the House is taking the opposite approach. The House subcommtitee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies approved buts in 49 programs to save $2.3 billion. Committee Chair Ralph Regula (R-OH) said the cuts are needed to offset the costs of Pell grants and the new Medicare perscription drug program. But Rep. David Obey (D-WI) said the cuts are the result of "super-sized, six-digit tax cuts to the most fortunate people in our society." See the full details on the Religion and Social Welfare Policy's Roundtable News.