With sequester looming, Congress takes a break

For weeks, leaders in Congress have emphatically warned they must avoid the deep, across-the-board spending cuts hitting the federal budget March 1. But with just two weeks left to avert the so-called sequester, members of Congress are leaving town for a week-long recess.

As they leave town, Democrats and Republicans are both predictably placing the blame on each other for the looming budget cuts, which amount to $1.2 trillion over 10 years. Both parties have, in fact, put forward their own ideas for averting the sequester, but the efforts so far have remained strictly partisan.

• Paul Ryan on sequester: "I think it's going to happen"
• White House warns sequester will hurt middle class

If no deal is reached by March 1, the Pentagon would have to start implementing a plan to cut its budget by about $500 billion over 10 years. Another $500 billion would hit non-defense programs. Economists agree the steep, across-the-board cuts would slow the economy. The White House recently laid out the ways the sequester would hurt the middle class, from slashing education programs to small business loan guarantees. Taking $1.2 trillion out of the economy would put close to a million jobs at risk, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has estimated.

At this rate, however, it may take some economic damage to get Congress to work together.

"The sequester will be in effect until there are cuts and reforms that put us on a path to balance the budget over the next 10 years," House Speaker John Boehner said yesterday. "Period."

Play Video

Democrats to unveil plan to avoid sequester

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Dickerson on Dems' plan: "Lead balloon with anvil tied to it"

Democrats in both the House and Senate yesterday unveiled legislation that would replace the 10-year sequester for the rest of 2013 -- 10 months -- with $60 billion in spending cuts and $60 billion in new tax revenue. Most of the tax revenue would come from enacting the "Buffett rule," requiring those with incomes over $2 million to pay a tax rate of at least 30 percent.

White House spokesman Jay Carney released a statement calling it a "balanced plan."

"Now, Republicans in Congress face a simple choice," he said. "Do they protect investments in education, health care and national defense or do they continue to prioritize and protect tax loopholes that benefit the very few at the expense of middle and working class Americans?"

Republicans, however, insist they aren't going to vote for any plans that raise new tax revenue. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., yesterday dismissed the Democratic plan as a "gimmicky tax hike designed to fail."

House Republicans, meanwhile, note that they passed legislation last year to address the sequester. But since the Democratic-led Senate never picked them up, they'll now follow the Senate's lead.

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[Rifle45]

People when 1+1=3 something up.

[Rifle45]

HCON 15 EH



113th CONGRESS



1st Session



H. CON. RES. 15

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That when the House adjourns on any legislative day from Friday, February 15, 2013, through Thursday, February 21, 2013, on a motion offered pursuant to this concurrent resolution by its Majority Leader or his designee, it stand adjourned until 2 p.m. on Monday, February 25, 2013, or until the time of any

reassembly pursuant to section 2 of this concurrent resolution, whichever occurs first; and that when the Senate recesses or adjourns on Friday, February 15, 2013, on a motion offered pursuant to this concurrent resolution by its Majority Leader or his designee, it stand recessed or adjourned until noon on Monday, February 25, 2013, or such other time on that day as may be specified in the motion to recess or adjourn, or until the time of any reassembly pursuant to section 2 of this concurrent resolution, whichever occurs first.

Sec. 2. The Speaker of the House and the Majority Leader of the Senate, or their respective designees, acting jointly after consultation with the Minority Leader of the House and the Minority Leader of the Senate, shall notify the Members of the House and the Senate, respectively, to reassemble at such place and time as they may designate if, in their opinion, the public interest shall warrant it.

Passed the House of Representatives February 15, 2013.

Attest:

Clerk.



113th CONGRESS



1st Session



H. CON. RES. 15



CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Providing for a conditional adjournment of the House of Representatives and a conditional recess or adjournment of the Senate.

[highlndr55]

What are they thinking? They have a what 15% approval rating. Let's take a break and see if our approval rating can drop below 10%. They should be working on the Peoples' business. Working on the SEQUESTER. But I guess they are just taking the Vacationer in Chief's lead and leaving town when there is so much work that needs to get done. Maybe we should vote them all out in 2014 and start with a new Congress.

[TJphoto]

"Guys, it's about to hit the fan. Let's take a break. Everybody OK with that? Good, let's go".

[GreedyOldPartee]

Yes I love it, just the guy you want out there with the gop talking points, Pauly Pailin. He is and will always be irrelevant.

[marychgo]

Can anyone remind me why we taxpayers are paying our Congresscritters a six-figure salary when they take a week or two of vacation every month? (And no, GOPers, Obama spending 3 days in Florida is NOT the same as Congresscritters spending 10 days plus raising money in their home states!)
What's WRONG with the sequester isn't JUST that it uses a meatax rather than a scalpel, making across-the-board cuts in most departments rather than targeting "waste, fraud, and abuse" and programs that don't work. What's even WORSE is that it takes the total spending-cuts goal -- $1.2 billion -- and divides it into 10 equal pieces. Why is that especially dumb? Because it assumes that the economy can cope with the proposed cuts equally well in all ten of those years. In fact, the economy CAN't cope with cuts equally well in all years: cuts should be SMALL in the EARLY years of that 10-year period, becoming large as the economy gets stronger.
And that is, in a sense, what the Democrats are proposing: easing back on cuts for the first couple of years, and then gradually increasing them.
But don't expect the Republicans to understand why THAT's a good thing! They're too busy protecting millionaires and billionaires from paying their fair share toward the economy that's made them so very rich!

[nearl451]

Why post on this article. All CBS has todo is post several articles past.......it's ALL the same.

Frankly, I tire of the selfsame story overa and over and the same posts.

Really, what is the point.

[Mike239239]

The defense department added about 700 billion to thier budget from 2001 to 2008 I do not see a problem with them cutting 500 billion over 10 years. after all we have ended one war and are winding down the second. The only reason not do it is if there are already plans in progress for the next rediculous and unwarranted war. politicians do like their wars as long as thier sons and daughters aren't involved.

[davidd5063]

Notice how pathetic the GOP trolls are trying to rationalize how their masters aren't terrorist. All they can do is babble lies about what "Dems would do if we let them" - yeah, fix the mess you made you pathetic, theiving, self-serving, terrorist garbage.

[empirebuilder]

Notice how pathetic the DEM trolls are trying to rationalize how their masters aren't terrorist. All they can do is babble lies about what "GOP would do if we let them" - yeah, fix the mess you made you pathetic, theiving, self-serving, terrorist garbage.

[empirebuilder]

Considering that the sequester was Obama's idea to begin with... curious he isn't out pounding the pavement and filling the airwaves pushing this as an achievement and success....

I guess you have to take a break in the sun and play golf and worry about the affairs of state another day. That worked last September 11....

[empirebuilder]

Obama wants credit for everything whether he had anything to do with it or not, so let's make sure CBS and other media outlets give him all the credit for Sequester. Oh, and Jack Lew as well, since it really was his idea.

Congratulations, Mr. President.. Can we get a couple of photos with you in your famous heaven-looking pose, Ping golf cap, under the debt clock, sir?

[WHAT-IS-HE-SMOKING]

Did you miss the part where the HOUSE AGREED to the sequester? And WHO was in control of the HOUSE?