US Senate gives pre-dawn OK to Democratic budget

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Senate has narrowly passed its first budget proposal in four years as majority Democrats went on record favouring almost US$1 trillion (S$1.23 trillion) in tax increases over the coming decade while sheltering domestic programmes targeted by Republicans in the House of Representatives.

The Democratic plan also proposes to reverse automatic spending cuts that are beginning to strike both the Pentagon and domestic programmes.

It passed by a near party line 50-49 vote after senators working most of the night approved it in Saturday's pre-dawn hours.

The vote came after lawmakers considered scores of votes on amendments, many of which were offered in hopes of inflicting political damage on Democratic senators up for re-election in Republican-leaning states.