The chairman of the House Appropriations Committee on Thursday announced deeper budget cuts than earlier proposed — a move intended to stem criticisms that House Republicans would renege on a top campaign promise.
Chairman Harold Rogers, Kentucky Republican, promised to cut $100 billion from President Obama’s fiscal year 2011 request. The cuts — about $58 billion compared with last year’s budget — would be included in a bill to keep the federal government running once the current funding authority expires March 4.
“My Committee has been working diligently to go line-by-line in every agency budget to find and cut unnecessary spending to reduce our deficit and help our economy thrive,” said Mr. Rogers, a Kentucky Republican, in a prepared statement.
Mr. Rogers’ announcement came a day after he said he would cut about $74 billion from the president’s budget plan, or $35 billion compared with last year’s budget.
House Republicans campaigned in 2010 on a promise to cut $100 billion from Mr. Obama’s request for domestic agencies.
The Kentucky Republican’s calls for cuts among a broad scope of agencies, including law enforcement, transportation, energy, health and foreign aid programs. His plan includes completely axing several federally subsidized — and popular — programs, including the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, AmeriCorps and funding for high-speed rail transit.
“Our intent is to make deep but manageable cuts in nearly every area of government, leaving no stone unturned and allowing no agency or program to be held sacred,” he said.
The full House GOP spending proposal isn’t expected until Friday at the earliest.
• Sean Lengell can be reached at slengell@washingtontimes.com.
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