Republican Appropriations Alternative Would Save Billions of Tax Dollars, Preserve a Strong National Defense

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, in the first full Appropriations Committee mark up of the year, Republicans on the Appropriations Committee will attempt to limit government spending by offering an alternative funding proposal for discretionary spending. In contrast to the Democrats’ plan, the Republican proposal, offered by Appropriations Ranking Republican Jerry Lewis, would save $31 billion next year and $341 billion over the next decade. 

 

In addition, the plan includes additional resources for national defense, while still providing a sensible level of non-security spending for key investments in areas such as education, medical research, and transportation. By contrast, the Democrats’ proposal would cut defense and security spending by $7 billion in order to fund their domestic priorities, which could impair military readiness and national security. 

 

“Our plan puts the brakes on the runaway growth in government spending that has led to the explosion of our nation’s deficits and debt. This proposal starts the process of cutting spending right now – not years from now – and will help steer us out of our current collision course with financial disaster,” Lewis said.

 

The Republican proposal provides $1.09 trillion in regular discretionary spending for Fiscal Year 2011 –which is the same as last year’s level. It will save taxpayers $31 billion this year alone as compared to the Democrats’ allocation, and at least $39 billion as compared to President Obama’s budget request. Despite much fanfare from the Obama Administration regarding a domestic spending “freeze” in their budget request, the Republican proposal is the only plan that actually holds non-defense, discretionary spending at or below last year’s levels.

 

“The Republican proposal today is the only opportunity for Members of Congress to vote on a true, non-defense discretionary spending freeze. This plan – unlike the one put forward by the White House or the Democrat majority – will hold or reduce spending on domestic programs, and doesn’t rely on cynical accounting gimmicks, loopholes, and fuzzy math,” Lewis said.

 

Lewis noted that Democrat majority has increased non-defense, discretionary spending by over 85 percent from fiscal years 2007 to 2009, and has increased this spending another 12 percent so far this year. He stated that the Democrat’s spending proposal today would continue this irresponsible budgeting by adding nearly $108 billion to the projected deficit over the next decade.

 

“The American people simply cannot afford the continuation of this reckless borrowing and spending. The Democrats’ spending proposal piles more and more tax dollars into government programs that are already flush with cash, which will not solve the economic problems in our country, but will make them exponentially worse,” Lewis said.

 

“The Democrat majority has spent money hand over fist over the last three years, without regard for the consequences, and what has it gotten us? An unemployment level that is stuck at nearly 10%, disillusioned and distressed citizens, and historic levels of deficits and debt that are spiralling us into economic ruin,” Lewis said, “It is time to put a stop to this self destruction, and make tough fiscal decisions that will put us back on a sustainable and prosperous economic path.”