Lugar: Obama pressing to narrow lame-duck agenda

President Barack Obama is pressing to narrow the Senate's agenda to guarantee consideration of the START arms control treaty, but is encountering resistance from fellow Democrats, Sen. Richard Lugar (R-Ind.) said in an interview aired Sunday.

In an appearance on CNN's "State of the Union," Lugar said the White House and Republicans are trying to craft a deal that would lead to three major items being considered by the Senate before it leaves town for the holidays: tax cut extensions, a continuing resolution to fund the government, and START.

"The problem with this, I think, is that Senator Reid, the majority leader, has found that many Democrats don't want something quite that abrupt. They say, 'We made a lot of promises out on the campaign trail. We have demanded that certain things come up, all sorts of things across the board. Don't cut us out of this,'" Lugar told CNN.

He did not specify what legislation could be in jeopardy, but it could include the repeal of the "don't ask, don't tell" ban on gays serving openly in the military or the immigration measure known as the DREAM Act, among other things competing for the dwindling Senate floor time in this lame-duck session.

"Now, the president is putting very strong pressure to cut them out of this," Lugar said. "And they're resentful of that, as a matter of fact."

Reid and the White House have denied they've agreed to any deal that would take "don't ask" repeal off the lame-duck agenda.

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