Contact: Matt Dennis 202-225-3481
"Across-the-Board Cuts Would Exacerbate Economic Contraction and Insufficient Job Growth"
Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D-NY), Ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, today issued the following statement on President Obama's call for a delay in implementation of $85 billion in across-the-board cuts to discretionary spending:
"I commend President Obama for urging Congress to avert deep cuts to domestic and defense programs with a smaller package of spending cuts and tax reforms.
"Excluding sequestration, cuts enacted since 2011 have reduced discretionary spending by $1.5 trillion over 10 years, which will result in the lowest discretionary spending levels as a share of the economy in more than 45 years. A decline in federal spending was the single largest factor in negative economic growth in the last quarter of 2012. Allowing an additional across-the-board cut of $85 billion to go forward will only exacerbate economic contraction and insufficient job growth.
"The sequester was designed to be painful, and if it goes forward, it will be. Results will include furloughs of air traffic controllers, food inspectors, and border patrol; reduced investments in safe drinking water and medical research; and diminished military readiness and embassy security.
"I will be working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to make clear that Congress has already cut discretionary spending - defense and non-defense - to levels that jeopardize economic growth as well as services and investments critical to families and communities. We must prevent a single-minded focus on spending cuts from further weakening a still fragile economy."
Source: U.S. Department of HCA
