The House begins debate today on Republican plans to cut at least $60.8 billion from this year's budget, as lawmakers from both parties will be able to offer just about any budget-cutting amendment they want.
"It's going to be the Wild West Show," said Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (R-GA), who like most lawmakers in the House, has never seen a temporary budget plan feature an open amendment process.
"Maybe we don't stop at $100 billion," Westmoreland said, alluding to the GOP election year promise to cut $100 billion from the budget right away.
"It may be $150 billion, it may be $200 billion," the Republican added.
Theoretically, that could happen, as Republicans - and Democrats - offer up amendments to cut spending from the current budget over the next three days.
The debate will begin as Obama Administration officials begin their sales pitch today on President Obama's budget for the next fiscal year, a spending plan that got a big Bronx Cheer from Republicans on Monday.
Instead of declaring the Obama Budget, "Dead on Arrival," House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI) used a play on words to attack the plan for not coming close to a balanced budget.
"I guess I would say 'debt on arrival, d-e-b-t on arrival," Ryan told a news conference.
Now as for the House floor debate on this year's budget, expect all kinds of different subjects to come up as amendments are offered in coming days.
For example, Rep. Tom Graves (R-GA) yesterday filed an amendment that would block the FCC from moving ahead with its plans on "Net Neutrality."
"None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to implement or enforce the Report and Order of the Federal Communications Commission relating to the matter of preserving the open Internet and broadband industry practices (FCC 10-201, adopted by the Commission on December 21, 2010)," the amendment reads.
So, along with efforts to cut out more spending, Republicans also want to put their imprint on policy matters, which can be done by blocking the expenditure of funds for certain programs.
As I get a rundown of amendments, I will update them here on my blog.
Stay tuned.
The House begins debate today on Republican plans to cut at least $60.8 billion from this year's budget, as lawmakers from both parties will be able to offer just about any budget-cutting amendment they want. "It's going to be the Wild West Show," said Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (R-GA), who like ...
