Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer on Monday dared House Republicans to make public the spending cuts they want to see implemented in exchange for helping raise the federal debt ceiling.
Mr. Schumer, New York Democrat, said the GOP owed the American people an explanation of its budget priorities after being entrusted with the House majority in last year’s midterms.
“It’s not enough to hide behind the old GOP talking point about wasteful spending. When you’re in the majority, substance counts,” he said. “If Republicans are talking about draconian cuts, they have an obligation to show Americans what those cuts are and let the public react and let them do it now.”
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen notified congressional leaders last week that the U.S. is reached its debt limit and is taking “extraordinary measures” to avoid default. She said her actions will hold off potential default until Congress can pass legislation to raise the nation’s $31.4 trillion borrowing authority or suspend it again.
Mr. Schumer said it would be inappropriate for Republicans to wait until the deadline for Congress to act or face default on debt payments before announcing proposed spending cuts.
“Republicans say they want spending cuts well does that mean cuts to Social Security or Medicare or childcare or Pell grants or our military or pay raises for our troops or funding police and law enforcement,” he said. “Whatever the case may be, Americans deserve to know what kind of cuts Republicans want to make.”
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• Haris Alic can be reached at halic@washingtontimes.com.
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