By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
Automatic sequestration cuts have begun to go into effect on Friday. President Barack Obama has been authorized to make the cuts to the military and to non-defense spending. Obama has rejected budget proposals put forward by the Republican controlled U.S. House of Representatives.
U.S. Representative Martha Roby (R) from Montgomery said in a written statement, “The day we were told would never come is here. Sequestration is going into effect, and the military is going to bear the brunt. There’s no question we need to rein in spending and reduce the size of the federal government. However, hollowing out our military while ignoring the true cause of our fiscal problems is the wrong way to do it. Everyone knows the true driver of our long-term debt is mandatory spending, not the military budget.”
U.S. Representative Robert Aderholt (R) from Haleyville said in a written statement, “There is little doubt that Washington has a spending problem. In fact, a recent Washington Post-ABC News poll found that nearly nine in ten Americans believe reducing spending should be a high priority for the President and Congress. I agree. That said, spending cuts should focus on eliminating waste, fraud and abuse within the federal bureaucracy, rather then gutting our military.”
Rep. Roby said, “We can’t tax our way out of the sequester, and we can’t tax our way out of debt. There’s a mom down near Fort Rucker, Alabama right now wondering why Washington can’t fix its spending problem without threatening her ability to put food on the table. And it is unconscionable that President Obama is using military families as pawns in his crusade for higher taxes.”
Rep. Aderholt said, “These automatic, across-the-board cuts that were proposed by the White House could have a devastating effect on our state and our nation. National Security should not be used as a bargaining chip for the President to further pursue his tax and spend agenda. However, Washington can survive with less wasteful spending. Last year, the House passed two different pieces of legislation, H.R. 5652 and H.R. 6684, that would replace the President’s sequester with more targeted, responsible spending cuts. However, the Senate did not take action on either bill. It was my hope the President would engage with House and Senate leadership to find honest comprise that would not put our nation’s economy or security in danger.”
Sequestration is just a 2.5% cut to federal spending, which has grown exponentially under President Obama; but half of the cuts are targeted at the defense department, which is still fighting a war in Afghanistan while trying to deal with rogue regimes in North Korea and Iran which are going nuclear. Rep. Roby is the Chairwoman of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations. Rep. Aderholt is the Chairman of the Agriculture Subcommittee of the powerful House Committee on Appropriations.
Congressman Robert Aderholt represents Alabama’s Fourth Congressional District. He is in his ninth term in the United States Congress. Congresswoman Martha Roby represents Alabama’s Second Congressional District. She is serving her second term in the U.S. Congress.
