BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Idaho's two senior congressmen believe there is little chance Republicans and Democrats will agree by the end of the month on a compromise to avoid a looming fiscal deadline and $85 billion in automatic federal cuts. U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson and U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo — both Republicans — say leaders from both parties lack the will to hammer out a bipartisan deal to avoid the across-the-board spending cut.

The cuts — known as the sequester — are set to kick in March 1 and cover a wide spectrum of agencies and programs, from law enforcement, national parks to the military. Simpson and Crapo say they support a plan released Tuesday for dealing with the nation's growing deficit through a mix of health care and tax code reforms.

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