John Spratt: “let me say that what we have offered here supplements, does not substitute for or replace, it supplements H.R. 2, and it…”

“let me say that what we have offered here supplements, does not substitute for or replace, it supplements H.R. 2, and it does not do it in any sort of redundant or cosmetic way. We give the President some important additional rescission authority. He can use this authority pending any court challenge to the constitutionality of H.R. 2 and he may have well need that authority this budget year because there is likely to be a constitutional challenge to this bill if it becomes law. Second, we give him authority that he can use throughout the budget year, not just in that narrow period of time 10 days after the adoption of an appropriations bill. The Congressional Research Service says, as we were just pointing out, that 99 percent of all rescissions typically sent up here by presidents since 1976, 99 percent of them have been sent well beyond that 10-day period of time. Our bill covers that additional period of time, when by tradition 99 percent of the rescission bills have been sent up. Finally, we allow the President to say, we want to take these savings, put them in a deficit reduction account and not have the money spent elsewhere during the course of the fiscal year. Three strong features that add to, do not detract from or conflict in any way, strengthen this bill and should be adopted to perfect it.”