Republicans Propose Alternate Plan to Avert Sequestration - East Idaho News
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Republicans Propose Alternate Plan to Avert Sequestration

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GETTY P 102611 MoneyClockJPG?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1360229770162Hemera/Thinkstock(WASHINGTON) — GOP members of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees made a proposal on Wednesday that delays automatic spending cuts known as sequestration for seven months by using attrition to reduce the federal work force over the next decade.

In this way, the Pentagon would be spared deep reductions in the overall plan to slice the budget by $1.2 trillion from now through 2023.

The bill advanced by Republicans runs counter to President Obama’s recommendation that sequestration be postponed through a series of spending cuts while boosting tax revenues.

According to GOP lawmakers, the White House relies too heavily on tax increases to lower the federal deficit.

Meanwhile, New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte said, “Our defense should not be used as a bargaining chip because of other policy aspirations that people want to accomplish.”

South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham implied that the White House was aiding America’s enemies, asserting, “I’m sure Iran is very supportive of sequestration.  I’m sure al Qaeda training camps all over the world would be pleased with the fact that sequestration would gut the CIA.”

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