On the recordSeptember 13, 2012
On that point, it looks as if what they are doing is running out the clock, doesn't it? They have a requirement by September 6--last week--to produce at least their proposal. It is by law. We passed it. He signed it into law back in August. It was required last week, and we haven't seen it yet. It looks to me what they are doing is trying to run the clock out, hoping Congress is going to go home to campaign and they will not have had to do anything to deal with this-- until the lameduck, at which point they can use defense cuts as leverage to try to get tax increases. It is pretty plain what is going on here. But they have a requirement under the law to produce that. They haven't done it. The Senator from Alabama and I were authors of that legislation. The Senator from New Hampshire has been a great leader in trying to get the administration to put their proposal for implementation in front of us. That hasn't happened. That is, I think, the only conclusion anybody can draw.
