Deal in Congress to Keep Tax Cuts,Widening Deficit
House-Senate conference of Republicans and Democrats agrees to extend $1.45 billion worth of tax cuts sought by Pres Bush without trying to pay for them with surcharge on wealthy families or curbs on corporate tax shelters; approval of tax cut is significant victoy for Bush, who champions extension of cuts at every campaign stop but whose wishes have been thwarted until now by Democrats and handful of Republican moderates in Senate; with election nearing, Congressional Democrats say they could not let themselves be branded as supporters of tax increases, which would occur if expiring provisions are not renewed; Sen John Kerry says he supports extension, but not for top 2 percent of income earners, those with incomes above $200,000; nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates that debt will climb by $2.3 trillion over next 10 years, and that making all of Bush's tax cuts permanent would cost additional $1.9 trillion by end of 2014 (M)
