The Hill News

Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (Ill.) said both parties have agreed on an amount to cut from federal spending, a claim that stands in contrast to remarks from GOP leaders.

"We have agreed on a number as to the cut, now we have to agree on the component parts of it and move forward," Durbin said on NBC's "Meet the Press" Sunday. "The American people don't care who has bragging rights at the end of this."

Members of the Senate and House Appropriations panels from both parties are working toward a target of $33 billion in spending cuts. Democratic leaders have indicated that number has been agreed to, but House Speaker John Boehner said Saturday that no deal has been reached.

"Let me be clear, there is no agreement," Boehner said in his party’s weekly address. "Republicans continue to fight for the largest spending cuts possible to help end Washington’s job-crushing spending binge."

Congress must past a spending bill by April 8 to! avert a partial shutdown of the government.

Durbin admitted there is disagreement on riders that could be attached to a spending bill, such as ones that defund Planned Parenthood and the Environmental Protection Agency. He said voting for a budget that contains those measures would be "totally unacceptable."

Durbin defended President Obama's handling of the congressional budget impasse.

"The president walks a very delicate line here," Durbin said. "He doesn't want to go too far in pushing his idea."

Instead, Durbin said the president has been working "behind the scenes."

"The president's playing a role," he said. "It may not be as visible and public as some would like, but I think he's done the right thing."

Asked about the pending withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan, Durbin said the war there has to "come to an end."

"We have to transfer responsibility [for] this war to the Afghan people," he ! said.