此次會議的目的使共和黨人領導的眾議院和民主黨控制的參議院之間的主要預算差異達成一致。
而據美國參議院預算委員會主席帕蒂·默里所稱，它也有一個更大的目標。
“展現給美國人民,作為國會,我們可以協作,確保我們的經濟增長,人們重返工作崗位,” 默里說道。
這一觀點得到眾議院預算委員會主席共和黨人保羅·里安的支持。
“我們的目標是使美國人民受益,控制債務,聰明的削減赤字及做我們認為可以發展經濟,讓人們重新回到工作崗位上的事情。”里安說道。
本月早些時候立法規定的這一會議結束為期兩周的聯邦關閉及避免美國債務違約。
兩黨集團將在12月中旬前制定一個預算協定。
包括奧巴馬總統在內的民主黨人希望優先給國內帶來更多的收入。
“幫助我們增長,創造就業機會,擴大我們的中產階級,給年輕人更多的機會—這些都是我們應該花錢的地方,”奧巴馬說道。
相比之下,共和黨人則希望進一步緊縮預算。
其中最為有力的聲音來自眾議院議長約翰·博納。
“嚴重影響我們國家迫在眉睫的問題依然存在。我們花的比我們投入的還多,” 博納說道。
如果12月中旬未能達成預算協定，當聯邦開支授權再一次到期，今年1月可能會有另一次政府關閉。
兩黨議員們表示他們不希望看到聯邦再次暫停運作,但政治分裂的國會是否通過兩黨協定協定還是未知數。
在全球問題上,奧巴馬總統將于星期五在白宮歡迎伊拉克總理努裡·馬利基。
The conference is tasked with bridging major budget differences between the Republican-led House of Representatives and the Democratic-controlled Senate.
It also has a larger purpose, according to Senate Budget Committee Chairwoman Patty Murray.
“Showing the American people that, as a Congress, we can work and make sure that our economy is growing and that people are back to work,” said Murray.
That sentiment was echoed by House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, a Republican.
“Our goal is to do good for the American people, to get this debt under control, to do smart deficit reduction and to do things that we think can grow the economy and get people back to work,” said Ryan.
The conference was mandated by legislation earlier this month that ended a two-week federal shutdown and averted a U.S. debt default.
The bipartisan group has until mid-December to hammer out a budget deal.
Democrats, including President Barack Obama, want more revenue for domestic priorities.
“What is going to help us grow, what is going to create jobs, what is going to expand our middle class, what is going to give more opportunity to young people-those are the things we should be putting money into,” said Obama.
By contrast, Republicans want further budget austerity.
Among the leading voices is House Speaker John Boehner.
“The looming problems that are affecting our country are still there. We are spending more than what we bring in,” said Boehner.
Failure to reach a budget accord by mid-December would risk another government shutdown in January, when federal spending authority expires once again.
Lawmakers of both parties say they have no desire to see federal operations halted a second time, but it remains to be seen whether that will generate a bipartisan deal that can pass both houses of a politically divided Congress.
On global matters, President Obama welcomes Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to the White House Friday.
