Senate Democrats vow to reject clean energy cuts

WASHINGTON (AP) - With the economy sputtering, the warring factions of Congress headed toward gridlock late Thursday over the usually noncontroversial process of approving disaster aid or even keeping the government from shutting down.

GOP leaders planned to take the spending package to the House floor Thursday evening after adding $100 million in savings from a program that financed a federal loan to the now-bankrupt solar panel maker Solyndra Inc. Senate Democrats signaled they'd reject the bill when it reaches their chamber, perhaps today, according to a Senate Democratic aide who demanded anonymity to discuss party strategy.

The battle erupting on Capitol Hill sends a discouraging sign as a bitterly divided Washington looks ahead to more significant debates on President Barack Obama's jobs plan and efforts by a congressional supercommittee to slash deficits.

The maneuvering started as Republicans controlling the House moved to resurrect a $3.7 billion disaster aid package after an embarrassing loss Wednesday. Instead of reaching out to Democrats, House GOP leaders looked to persuade wayward tea party Republicans to change their votes and help approve the assistance - and try to force Senate Democrats into a corner with little choice but to accept cuts to clean energy programs they favor.

"We're fed up with this," said Democratic Whip Dick Durbin of Illinois. "They know what it takes for us to extend (stopgap funding) and keep the government in business. And this brinksmanship ... we're sick of it."

Unless Congress acts by midnight next Friday, much of the government will shut down. More immediate is the threat that the government's main disaster aid account will run dry early next week.