After months of haggling, the bill to cut $38.5 billion in the 2011 budget was passed. The House voted 260 – 167 with the house following 81 – 19 on the deal.

Programs that will see the largest reductions include the Environmental Protection Agency, which saw a $1.6 billion cut along with the high-speed rail projects, which had a $2.9 billion cut.  Funding for building and repairing federal buildings were cut by $1 billion.

Others affected include funding for community health programs, food aid for poor women and children, emergency first responders and the National Endowment for the Arts.  Measures that would have affected new health-care law and funding for Planned Parenthood of America were dropped.

Both sides agree $4 trillion needs to be cut from the deficit over the next 10 – 12 years. While there is still a lot of disagreement between the two parties as to how to lower the deficit, the 2012 budget plans will likely prove to be an even bigger battle.