Jim Banks: “My amendment is simple. It reduces spending in this division by 14 percent, the amount that is needed to avoid busting…”

“My amendment is simple. It reduces spending in this division by 14 percent, the amount that is needed to avoid busting the budget caps and preventing sequestration. With these spending packages, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle are making it clear that they have no interest in reducing our national debt. If they did, they would not be proposing bills that would bust the budget caps by nearly $90 billion, which they are fully aware would trigger sequestration and lead to devastating and severe cuts to our national defense. In this division alone, they are proposing to spend $37.2 billion, which is $1.73 billion above the previous year's enacted amount and $7.2 billion over the President's 2020 request. This does not even include the $2.2 billion in additional funding that is not subject to the caps. Again, my amendment would bring spending in this division to the level needed to avoid sequestration through a 14 percent across-the- board cut. Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time. Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to the amendment. The Acting CHAIR. The gentlewoman from Minnesota is recognized for 5 minutes. Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Chair, this amendment, once again, indiscriminately cuts programs in this bill without any thought to the relative merit of the programs contained in the bill.…”