House Conservatives to Offer Additional $20 Billion in Cuts
by Robert BlueyConservatives are gearing up for a showdown on the House floor over an across-the-board spending cut that would trim the federal government by an additional $20 billion this year. The amendment, which will be offered by a member of the Republican Study Committee, would reduce spending on top of the $100 billion in cuts already proposed by GOP leaders.
House Republicans, keeping their promise for an open amendment process, have devoted the entire week to a debate on the fiscal 2011 continuing resolution. With the current spending plan set to expire March 4, Republicans are using the bill to make cuts to discretionary spending.
Hundreds of amendments are expected to be filed, but the RSC’s across-the-board cut stands out as one of the largest.
The move comes after GOP leaders made notable progress last week toward the magic number of $100 billion in non-security discretionary spending cuts as outlined in the Pledge to America. The current proposal includes $81 billion in cuts, plus another $19 billion from security spending. The RSC hopes to achieve a full $100 billion in non-security spending.
It is anyone’s guess how the debate might play out on the House floor. GOP leaders have publicly said they will support additional cuts. But the RSC, despite its 175 members, might not have the votes to close the gap.
Still, conservatives have already forced House appropriators back to the drawing board once and remain optimistic about their chances now that the debate has reached the floor.
Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), chairman of the RSC, applauded conservatives — including freshman lawmakers — for setting the right tone early in the spending debate.
“The window of time to fix the country is closing rapidly,” Jordan said. “I cannot underscore this enough. If we don’t get after it now, we may lose the opportunity to truly fix things and make it so our kids can enjoy the greatest nation in history.”
Email this to a friend | Print |
Share on Facebook
| Tweet this
| 
Follow Us on Twitter
Subscribe via RSS
Got a Tip?
49 Comments
Go get them! Fire 20% of government employees across the board!
Until the debt begins to go in the opposite direction, the confidence in America will continue to falter.
500 billion in actual budget cuts per year, pays off the national debt in 30 years give or take…
If not now, boys and girls of congress, when?
My Mom was from Missouri, "the show me state". I must have picked up some of those traits from the good folks there since I'm calling out: Quit the small talk and show me results. Actions always speak louder than words. So put up or shut up. See. Someone who has family roots in Missouri knows how to speak to congress. More Americans should do the same. Tell the repubs to quit the rhetoric and generate some results or get ready to pack their bags in 2012, cause they wont be in DC to celebrate 2013.
BTW, I haven't forgotten that many repubs rolled over to renew parts of the Patriot Act.
Bring federal pay in line with like work/pay for the private sector. These clowns make far more for less work than those of us who pay their salaries.
Any Republican who Votes against it is a RINO and needs to be replaced at Election time.
The TEA Party can help.
Drop in the bucket!
Keep it coming.
18 enumerated powers!
This Administration won't tackle the hard choices. They need class warfare, it is the single biggest element to further their agenda. If there was a flat tax, the Liberal movement would stall right in it's tracks.
Another funding battle is going on that deserves our attention. From RedState:
"Last night, the House of Representatives’ Rules Committee shut down Rep. Steve King’s ability to offer an amendment to completely defund Obamacare on the continuing resolution to fund the government through the end of the year. House Republicans are now hiding behind parliamentary rules to say that it would somehow violate what the new Republican Majority is all about.
This is just complete and utter nonsense.
Obamacare was a mix of what is called discretionary and mandatory spending. King is trying to defund the entire law, but the parliamentarians are arguing that his amendment would be out of order (i.e. against House Rules) because it attempts to mess with programs that are not strictly discretionary…………………………..
The plain fact of the matter is that Leadership doesn’t want a major fight to defund Obamacare on the continuing resolution and are hiding behind House Rules to save face. The continuing resolution is a must-pass bill and prime opportunity for the House to try and shut down Obamacare with its historic “power of the purse.” At least force the Democrats to use political capital to get the provision out of the bill in the Senate."
http://www.redstate.com/erick/2011/02/15/call-you...
"Call your Congressmen and urge them to vote no and bring down the rule!"
http://www.capwiz.com/humanevents/callalert/index...
Do not raise the debt ceiling.How come nobody is talking about this?
Billions? Can't anyone say trillions when talking about spending reductions?
It took those pesky House Freshmen Repubs to hold their feet to the fire on their Pledge.
They can pass a $1 Trillion in Cuts …means nothing behind closed doors. I want to see their Accounting Books when all is said and done.
The children have been at play as far back as yesterday. Did what I could.
Might want to check previous posts as far back as yesterday the kids have been and are at play. We must be doing some serious damage to the folks at huff 'n puff, media matters, moveon.org, etc.
Still playing games. Still not serious.
Stop the cheerleading for these circuses and demand real cuts where it matters: entitlement spending, subsidies, personal and corporate welfare, and the military.
The question is, what can actually passed and also not be vetoed? The House of Pelosi passed many bills that were DOA in the senate and just a waste of everyones time (not counting Heath care where house comprimised a lot on what they actually wanted.
The GOP controlled house has to clear the senate and Obama, anything else is a just a politcal stunt. This ain't gonna get fixed in a year…
The CBO reports that $80 billion has been paid for net interest on the federal debt through the first four months of the 2011 fiscal year.
That's $20 billion per month.
"Conservatives are gearing up for a showdown on the House floor over an across-the-board spending cut that would trim the federal government by an additional $20 billion this year."
A "SHOWDOWN" over spending cuts for an entire year that would amount to only one month's worth of interest payment. Interest payments that are increasing over 9% each year.
So Republicans are now in charge of the House. And their big push is to cut enough spending for six month's worth of interest payments on the national debt.?
We need an entire across the board 20% cut in all Federal spending … at a minimum.
Anything less is a joke to solving the budget crisis, and unless they act immediatly, it will soon be too late.
You are right about that, although I would go just a little bit further. Id say we cut all programs in half, and take the government agencies and departments that are hurting our economy and jobs and defund them permenitly. Afterall, why bother keeping an agency or dept around when it has shown no positive results and all it does is just waste money.
Then after that, then we fix the tax code by simplifing it and cutting rates, then drop out of the UN. Now, that is what our Congress needs to do and take it seriously or else they all will be getting pink slips.
Cuts aren't enough. No way will I believe anyone in congress is serious about this until the first department or agency gets eliminated. Not 'trimmed', not 'reduced', but eliminated. And 61 billion? Puh-leeze. With the deficit growing by 25 billion per WEEK, that's not getting serious. Not even a scratch on the surface. Take that 61 billion figure and add another zero.
Here's an article from FOX
http://politics.blogs.foxnews.com/2011/02/15/repu...
Folks, this is important. Today, call, fax, E-mail today and crawl all over the "rules" committee and repub leadership.
An extra $140 billion added to our debt for every one percent rise in interest. The interest rates are at historical low's. God help us all if they should climb four or five percent in the next couple of years.
10 – 15% cut across the board. I had to do it when they cut my pay, took a furlough, lost my overtime, increased my insurance and lost all bonuses.
They could probably find $20 billion in the House couches.
If THIS congress can't get our house in order, the NEXT congress might.
We can never let down our guard again.
Cut -everything- at least 5%, then add in the $120 billion. That's at least a start.
Amen to that Harry. Projected deficit for 2012 is 1.65 trillion. Now if I remember how to divide 100 billion by 1,650 billion, that's 1/16.5 = 6%. That's not squat.
quit hiring 20000 more IRSgovt employees, at average 80-100000/yr+benefits…STOP STATE AND FED GOVT EMPLOYEES from retireing with full tilt pensions, then jumping into our social security benefits after working minimum years to qualify, retireing with both full state/govt pensions and draining our soc sec with just min years of contributions?? this should save soc sec for a few more years, for those who paid in for most of their lives??
Rush just took up this issue, Rick. Hopefully, as is usually the case, his attention to the issue will get people to call their Reps. and apply the pressure needed to get this amendment approved.
Anyone still reading this thread, be aware that the funding MANDATED as non-discretionary in obamacare amounts to $105 Billion, per year, for 10 years for implementing the law.
The Republicans talking about getting to $100 Billion in cuts is meaningless if they decide not to go after this obamacare spending. They could save $1 Trillion in ten years by defunding ALL of obamacare.
Yeah, harm your economy more. Cut aid to Israel. Put Americans first.
Where has HuskersLovesBodyOdor been?
Just curious, will he reappear if I use the words Sarah Palin?
Until the GOP start talking about cutting the out of control defense spending NOTHING will be done to decrease spending. Ron & Rand Paul are onboard with that, when will the rest of the GOP get on board?
So far all the GOP have done is support UNPAID for tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires.
Hey Boehner it has been over a month now since you took over, where are the JOBS???
Draft young rich republicans and we will never have another rightwing false war for oil and war profiteering.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1UYquKlfT0
We can save trillions more just by defunding the executive branch.
Federal deficit on track for a record this fiscal year Government debt to exceed U.S. economy
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/feb/14/d...
"The time is near at hand which must determine whether Americans are to be free men or slaves."
George Washington
Your free kool-aid is going to be cut. Oh, what will you do?
Sounds like a broken record: It keeps playing the same old line, over and over again.
Cute sockpuppet you got there, Smedley.
It might be that the house is trying to cut enough funding to avoid confronting the debt ceiling until they are in a stronger position. Personally, if they just cut funding to the EPA, DOEducation, DOEnergy, FCC, etc, we save several trillion/annum which can be used to pay down the national debt. Congress really needs to get after the trade deficit by cutting subsidies, foreign aid, corp taxes to 15%, and getting drilling, mining, and farming going again.
That will definately stir the pot. Rush has 6 million plus listeners.
RetardedSailor, lets drop the stupid party issue. Since both parties have spend billions and trillions on everything from military, entitlements, pentions, unions, agencies, depts, taxes, and borrowed more on top of those.
Tax cuts cost nothing, and allow people to keep more of their own money. Instead of raising taxes (never works), why not try a flat tax and everyone pays equally.
If you want to ask about jobs, why not ask Reid. He is still in control and has been for over 4 years and why hasnt Reid saved or created any jobs? Where are the damn jobs, you lazy ass politions?
RS, you are behind the times. Gates has already cut quite a bit. He doesn't want any more C117's, The second engine for the new fighter or the proposed amphibious landing craft.
http://warnerrobinspatriot.com/bookmark/11412165-...
The DOD is trying to save a few billion here and there. Rome wasn't built in a day and it's going to take some time to get taxes and revenues to a level where businesses and industry can again begin hiring. Remember those markets can not respond in a day or two. Let's wait to see how things are in 100 days.
More please.
Hey moron (clockwise), every government job is a net loss per tax revenue generated. The only way to reduce the debt is to fire government employs. Don’t bitch either, it is time for all you pathetic pensioners to feel the pain. It’s going to be tough for you, being you have no skills…
There are still many RINOS in Congress that want to continue their gravy train.
'America's toughest sheriff' considering Arizona Senate run
http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/...
"The time is near at hand which must determine whether Americans are to be free men or slaves."
George Washington
Here is a person who will challege the government and with pride to protect our Constitution. His name: Allen West!
http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/3333...
Here is a person who will challege the government and with pride to protect our Constitution. His name: Allen West!
http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/3333...
America created 19 million more jobs under the higher tax rate of Clinton. These job killing UNPAID for tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires have to go.
The GOP sure try to act like they never heard of trying to impose that 23% national sales tax on working class America during the 2010 midterms. I would love to see the GOP try to raise taxes massively on the working class to give even more tax cuts to millionaires and billionaires.
So far Boehner has not brought to the floor one single bill concerning jobs. The clock is ticking on Boehner and the GOP and they better get hot creating jobs. Moderate and Independent Voters want results not symbolic only bills to appease rightwing village idiots.
Those engines are made just outside Boehner’s district. Do you think Boehner has any plans to kill that incredibly wasteful program.
The SECDEF does not set the budget. That is Boehner’s job.
Is going to head up the GOP caucus of those who have committed war crimes?
The ASTROTURF Tea Party will do as they are told to do by their rightwing corporate masters Dick Armey and the Koch Brothers.
He's just following the script he was given mere hours after the elections in November.
The time for talk is over. If necessary shut down the federal government but do not compromise with the idiot in the white house. Spend not one dime more then what is taken in and that does not mean raising taxes. GOP you had better show some backbone and shut these morons down.
You must be logged in to post a comment.