Speaker Boehner & Republican Caucus Hold to Spending Cuts in FY 2011 Budget
April 6, 2011
Diane W. Collins
dcollins@marketingweb.com
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Speaker Boehner & Republican Caucus "Doing what the American people have asked us to do... cut spending." |
Speaker Boehner and the House Republican Caucus spoke with the press today regarding the FY 2011 budget standoff between the Republican controlled House and the Democrat controlled Senate and White House.
Democrats have attacked saying Republicans want to shut down the government on Friday, April 8th when the current continuing resolution ends. In an attempt to split the coalition, Democrats have blamed the Tea Party saying its stand on fiscal responsibility is tantamount to "holding Speaker Boehner hostage to their draconian spending cuts."
Let's look at the facts. It was the Democrats who did not pass a FY 2011 budget in the 111th Congress when they held the House, Senate and Presidency... Republicans are cleaning up their old business. What have the Republicans done to that end? The House passed HR 1 in the first few days of the 112th Congress. It cut $61B from the FY 2011 budget, but the Senate under Majority Leader Harry Reid's (D-NV) direction failed to take it up. Last week, the House passed HR 1255 attempting to avert a government shutdown by providing a deadline of August 6th in which the Senate was required to act or HR 1 would go into effect... HR 1255 met the same fate as HR 1. Senate inaction.
Tomorrow, the House intends to take up and pass another short term resolution. This is the seventh continuing resolution and will last one week cutting $12B from FY 2011 while ensuring military pay. The Tea Party wants riders included in the CR that would defund Planned Parenthood and prevent the EPA from using budget funds to restrict greenhouse gases, similar to the riders included in HR 1. This, however, seems to be the sticking point for Democrats. After the House passes the new CR, the Senate will have to take it up, pass it, and send it to the President. Despite the rehtoric, if a shutdown occurs it's on the Deomcrats watch... but, is that good? Is it what they've planned for all along?
Publicly, President Obama is staying clear of the process for the most part. He left for Pennsylvania today to speak on clean energy and further his campaign financing. The administration has been emailing government offices during the week telling them to prepare, yet it appears specifics are not being given. Why is this important? Eight-hundred thousand government workers will be furloughed if the shutdown occurs. Union leaders are currently "demanding" details on pay and shutdown procedures. The Executive branch administers any shutdown by law. Will they create a crisis while "keeping Obama's hands clean?" Will we see union riots in Washington, DC? Need I remind you of Wisconsin?
Contact: Representatives, Contact: Senators
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