US Republicans Outline Sweeping Budget Cuts

Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives have rolled out a long list of proposed budget cuts, while a prominent Democratic U.S. senator has announced he will not seek another term.

The House Appropriations Committee chairman, Republican Hal Rogers, says a wide range of government spending would be affected, including on the environment, energy, high-speed rails and health programs.

The legislation is expected to be voted on next week in the House. The current spending bill expires March 4.

The cuts, which are estimated to save several billion dollars compared to the 2010 budget, were revealed as the three top House Republican leaders met with President Barack Obama for lunch at the White House.

Speaker John Boehner, Majority Leader Eric Cantor and third-ranked House Republican Kevin McCarthy were discussing the federal budget and creating jobs. Boehner said they found enough "common ground" with the president to show the American people that they can work together to create job and cut spending.

Obama will reveal his budget proposal on Monday, February 14.

Meanwhile, U.S. Senator Jim Webb, a Democrat from Virginia, announced Wednesday his plans to retire at the end of his term.

Webb made the announcement in an e-mail, saying he will return to work in the private sector. He said he will continue to work on the international issues he handled in the Senate, as head of the committee on East and Southeast Asian affairs.

The announcement could hurt the Democratic Party's control of the Senate, where it has a 53-47 majority. Former Republican Senator George Allen already announced he will run in 2012 for the seat, which he lost to Webb in 2006.