DAVID ESPO, AP Special Correspondent

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats are accusing House Republicans of exempting more than $1 trillion in proposed tax cuts and higher spending over the next 10 years from a promise to cut federal deficits.

The exemptions include a bill to repeal last year's health care legislation as well GOP-backed proposals extending tax cuts for upper income filers. That's according to a tally several Senate Democrats plan to present at a news conference Thursday.

House Republicans have made deficit reduction a cornerstone of their agenda for the next two years and have passed rules to that end. But the rules exempt a handful of specific bills for now.

The Congressional Budget Office says the health overhaul will reduce deficits by $143 billion over the next decade, suggesting its repeal would raise red ink that much.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press.