On the recordMarch 28, 2012
I thank my colleague, Mr. McClintock. Mr. Chairman, the Progressive Caucus budget amendment creates devastating cuts to our Nation's defense. Our Federal Government's primary responsibility under the Constitution is to provide for the common defense for the security of all Americans. This budget amendment causes the Federal Government to abdicate this important responsibility. This substitute amendment guts the Defense Department by calling for cuts that are $900 billion deeper than the nearly half a trillion dollars that the President already proposed to be cut from the defense plan that he proposed just 1 year ago. This substitute has no specific plan to replace the sequester, which Secretary of Defense Panetta said would have catastrophic consequences and which would devastate our Department of Defense. This amendment ignores our constitutional responsibility and tells our troops in the field that, regardless of where the mission is and what state it's in, that we're going to cut all funding. This comes despite the fact that U.S. commanders have made it clear that there will be a continued role for the U.S. in Afghanistan even after Afghanistan security forces assume lead responsibility for security. This budget amendment also ignores the economic impact that deep defense cuts will have on low- and middle-income Americans that work for the Department of Defense or work for suppliers of the Department of Defense.…
