The Nation - News from April 2, 1985

The White House indicated that it might compromise with Senate Republicans on defense spending for next fiscal year, but budget talks between the two sides hit another snag--how much to spend on agriculture. White House aides met with Senate GOP leaders for nearly three hours but reached no agreement. Defense was still a major hang-up, and senators emerged talking about disagreements on farm programs as well. President Reagan wanted to cut $6.2 billion from agriculture in fiscal 1986, but the GOP-led Senate Budget Committee voted to freeze programs at current levels.