This just in from House Leadership: the RSC Amendment to the Continuing Resolution will be debated on the House Floor at 12:30 today!
The vote is expected to occur between 1:00 and 1:30.
Support the RSC Amendment to the CR
The FY 2011 continuing appropriations bill being considered this week provides $396.6 billion for non-security spending (compared to the $378 billion FY 2008 non-security funding level) and $631.9 billion for security spending (compared to the $554 billion FY 2008 security funding level). Overall, this is a $99.6 billion reduction compared to the President’s FY 2011 budget—$81 billion of the reduction is non-security spending, $18.6 billion security spending.
RSC Amendment to Reduce Non-Security Spending to FY 2008 Levels
The RSC—led by Representatives Jordan, Blackburn, Flake, Garrett, Pence, Campbell, Duncan (SC), Guinta, Huelskamp, Southerland, and Walsh—will offer an amendment to the CR that would get the bill back to FY 2008 non-security discretionary spending levels (i.e. get us to the full $100 billion in non-security savings) via:
- A 5.5% across-the board cut of all accounts in eight non-security divisions of the CR;
- An 11% across-the-board cut of all accounts in the Legislative Branch bill; and
- A 0% cut for Israel (i.e. no cut to Israel funding).
To see the text of the RSC amendment, see number 104 here: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CREC-2011-02-14/pdf/CREC-2011-02-14-pt1-PgH776-3.pdf.
To see the letter to House leadership, signed by 89 House conservatives, calling for $100 billion in non-security savings in the CR, go here:
http://rsc.jordan.house.gov/UploadedFiles/RSC_100_Billion_Cuts_Letter_to_Leadership.pdf.
The following groups and organizations support passage of the RSC Spending Reduction Amendment, #104 :
Will consider this as a KEY VOTE for their scorecard:
· Council for Citizens Against Government Waste
Support and encourage a YES vote on the RSC Amendment:
· Americans for Limited Government
· Family Research Council Action
· Let Freedom Ring
· National Federation of Republican Assemblies
And if you’re thinking, “Hey RSC, why do we need to cut more?”, consider these facts:
President’s Budget Proposes $8.9 Trillion Deficits
On Monday, the President submitted his budget request for FY 2011-2021. Total proposed deficit spending amounts to more than $8.9 trillion over the period covered by the budget submission. The President’s budget specifically proposes a $1.65 trillion deficit in FY 2011, and then a $1.1 trillion deficit in FY 2012. (This follows a $1.29 trillion deficit in FY 2010, a record-breaking $1.41 trillion deficit in FY 2009, which in turn followed a then record-breaking $459 billion deficit in FY 2008). Even in the last year of the budget (2021), the deficit would be $774 billion—which means there is no effort to balance the budget even after the current recession, and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, are long over.
If the deficit figures proposed by this Obama budget are realized, all fourteen of the highest deficits in U.S. history will have occurred from FY 2008-2021.
The President’s budget proposes to increase the national debt from today’s level of $14.2 trillion to $26.4 trillion in FY 2021—an increase of $12.2 trillion or 86.0%. The amount of new debt proposed by this Obama budget is larger than the total amount of debt accumulated by the federal government from 1789 until January 20, 2009.
There is bad news though… a California Republican is encouraging people to vote AGAINST the spending cuts.
Rep. Dan Lundgren (R-CA) is opposing Rep. Jordan’s spending cuts and sent a letter around to his colleagues urging them to oppose the cuts:
February 17, 2011
Vote NO on Amendment 104
Security & Oversight: Cuts We Can’t Afford!
Dear Republican Colleague:
I urge you to vote no on Amendment 104 to H.R. 1 that would dramatically impact the House’s ability to maintain adequate security and conduct effective oversight. The Amendment’s proposed cuts would also impede on each Member’s ability to communicate and serve his or her constituents.
This amendment would severely restrict the U.S. Capitol Police’s ability to secure the Capitol complex by slashing its budget 11%. A cut of this magnitude would force Capitol Police to face today’s ever-growing security threats with significantly fewer resources and officers.
The Amendment would also hamper the House’s ability to conduct effective oversight and impede on Members’ ability to serve their constituents by cutting committee and Member budgets an additional 11% on top of the 5% cut adopted last month.
In November, we promised a government that would be more efficient, more accountable and more transparent. However, keeping that promise means we need vigilant oversight.
While I support this effort to reduce federal spending, I fear the wholesale approach proposed in this amendment will render the House and its members incapable of upholding our promise to the American people. For these important reasons, I strongly urge you to vote no on Amendment 104.
Sincerely,
Daniel E. Lungren
Chairman
Committee on House Administration
