House Speaker John A. Boehner repeatedly said Sunday that he welcomes all voices within the GOP-controlled House and that he will not stand in the way of the tea party caucus and others presenting plans to make deep cuts to the federal budget.
“I’m going to allow the House to work its way,” Mr. Boehner, Ohio Republican, said several times on “Fox News Sunday.” “I’m the speaker of the House, the whole House.”
He said the tea party caucus and its promise to cut federal spending beyond the 2008 levels that House GOP leaders generally see as the goal is “absolutely not” a problem.
Mr. Boehner said the House Appropriations Committee is expected to announce specific cuts in the week of Feb. 14.
He expressed confidence that Democrats and Republicans in Congress will reach an agreement on raising the U.S. debt ceiling because the country’s defaulting on its debt would be a “financial disaster.”
• Joseph Weber can be reached at jweber@washingtontimes.com.old.
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