GOP blasts WH over sequester preparation

House Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., center, and committee member Rep. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday March 19, 2013. / AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

WASHINGTON -- House Republicans are accusing the Obama administration of poorly preparing for the $85 billion in automatic spending cuts while at the same time scaring people about their potential impact.

"Agency after agency acts surprised that a law signed by the president 19 months ago actually meant what it said," Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., the chairman of the House Oversight Committee, said Tuesday.

Issa's committee conducted two hearings that touched on the impact of the budget cuts known as a "sequester" and the administration's preparation for them. Both hearings turned into forums for lawmakers in each party to blame the other side.

"When you cut $85 billion out of a budget over a course of seven months there are consequences - duhhh," said Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland, the committee's senior Democrat. "They want people to think these are the choice of the administration. It isn't true."

Rep. John Mica, R-Fla., former chairman of the House Transportation Committee, ripped the Homeland Security Department and its Transportation Safety Administration as among the worst offenders. While attacking the department's lack of planning for the spending cuts, he singled out Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano's predictions of long waits at airport security lines as "her form of torture."

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"We should have the secretary out there screening people," Mica said. "This is one of the most shameful things I've ever seen the administration do."

Rafael Borras, the department's undersecretary in charge of its budget, said there was no effort to scare people.

"There was an expectation that the sequester would not come to pass," Borras said. "We're doing everything we can to limit the impact."

During October's presidential debate between President Obama and GOP nominee Mitt Romney, Obama said sequestration cuts "will not happen," though his aides then tried to back off the remark.

Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, told Michael Young, the budget director for the Agriculture Department, that the USDA should have anticipated potential cuts. He also put up slides showing the department's budget over the last four years, noting it had been relatively flat.

"You've had 20 months to get ready for this," Jordan said. "August 2011. It seems to me you should be able to deal with this."

Jordan asked Young if anyone had directed him to make the cuts more painful. Young said the opposite was true, that Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack had instructed him to implement cuts in an "equitable manner and the least disruptive manner."

In February, Vilsack warned that budget cuts mandated by the sequester would force the USDA to furlough meat inspectors for up to 15 days. Because meatpacking plants require a federal inspector, his warning implied that it could cause an industry-wide slowdown.

Young told Jordan he did not yet know how long meat inspectors might be furloughed.

Democrats expressed frustration that the committee was asking questions about the impact of the sequester before agencies had fully grappled with it.

"Did we expect (the sequester) to kick in within 19 days?" said Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va. "No!"

[TJphoto]

WHAT A MINUTE! The GOP knew this was coming 15 months ago. They refused to do anything. Now that it is here, "It's all Obama's Fault"! REALLY? Does the GOP not get it? Do they not understand what's going on. Can they not figure out why the the party of "Fiscal Responsibility, Lower Taxes", Smaller Government, and of course Family Values is Imploding. Good luck guys with your repackaging. I'm not buying into it anymore! BTW The House has been in control since 2010.........Hello!--------Do the math!

[GOP-R--Con-Men]

The republican tactic is to continue the destruction of the economy then try to make President Obama decided which part of the economy gets destroyed the slowest.

[andthetruthis]

Do the Republicans call this 'Strategy'?

Even Newt Gingrich came forward to tell his own fellows -

STOP BEING STUPID!!

Is blame Obama all the Republicans have?
Every 'cheap shot'.

Americans will still ask,"OK,what's your plan Republican?
Hate? Racism? Business as usual? Rich get richer,poor get poorer?
Finish off the American Middle Class? Kill our sons in some sinkhole?
Stick us with the bill?

What is your plan Republican?
One way or the other - Give us a break with the cheap shot nonsense.

[me_nz]

Here we go with the GOP stalwarts as in stall everything, say no, to everything stop everything then blame the other side for not coping with the results. When the economy starts to slow down and then turns downward when these cuts start to really bite they will be blaming Obama for that too. Pity they showed none of this passion for so called fiscal responsibility when Bush was busy wasting $800 billion in Iraq and at the same time cutting taxes for the likes of Mitt the Moron and his mates who pay for their BS election ads becoz paying 14% tax is way too much right? If these leaches with their high paid tax consultants and off shore bank accounts paid taxes like the rest of us mortals who actually work for a living maybe things would be a lot better.

[zmonkee]

"when the economy STARTS to slow down"??? It "started" slowing down when obo took office, and is basically idling!!! Was obama dealt a bad hand? Yes- Did he make it worse? Yes-

speaking of getting worse and obama....here's some more bad news that obamacare is causing:

"The Boston Herald disclosed CVS' new health screening policy Tuesday and revealed that workers who fail to comply would face $50-a-month surcharge. That $600-a-year penalty somewhat undermines CVS' suggestion that the new policy is "voluntary," but it's an increasingly common move by companies looking to save money by avoiding employees with costly health conditions.

Under the new federal health care insurance mandate, companies may also penalize obese workers, smokers and anyone else who doesn't participate in the company wellness plan and meet specific goals.

CVS Caremark, which has 200,000 employees, told all workers using the company insurance plan to have a doctor measure their weight, height, body fat, blood pressure and glucose and fasting lipid levels by May 1. CVS will pay for the screenings, but workers have to sign a form saying the screening is (kind of) voluntary and that they agree to let the company's insurer release results to WebMD Health Services Group. That organization, in turn, helps CVS interpret that data and determine who makes the cut"

[GOP-R--Con-Men]

President Obama has it tough, he's fighting wars on multiple fronts. He has to fight the terrorist abroad while fighting GOP republican teabagger terrorist here at home in America at the same time.

My hat's off to you Mr. President as you continue to protect America from terrorist from abroad and the home grown type holding political office.

[zmonkee]

to quote the Ranger-- "get off your knees and spit"

[GOP-R--Con-Men]

ZMONKEE,

Why must all your post be of the juvenile frat boy variety?
Well, I guess you can't help who you are can you?

[andthetruthis]

I think it's something that they can "Blast" The President about some preparation,
but,not be screeching at The Right Honorable Senator,from The Great State of South Carolina,Mr Graham,for demanding we dump all the 'sequester savings' in Syria.

Typical Republican hypocrisy.

[MTATL670]

This McCarthyite has a lot of nerve talking about 'Preparation'. Congressional Republican never had any plan to improve anything. Everything they have done and are doing is reactionary. They have never been proactive only reactive. No ideas, No plan they truly are the

[GOP-R--Con-Men]

Problem, traitors, subversives, extremist, obstructionist, racist, saboteurs, hypocrites, liars, con men, scam artist, etc, etc.

They are all of the above and more!

[zmonkee]

davidd5063 says: "That's the nature of lying, self-serving filth"

Who was it that said, during a debate, that the sequester, "would not happen"?? ohhhh, that's right.....OBAMA!!

well, David, you are correct in saying, "that's the nature of lying, self-serving filth"

[davidd5063]

Naturally, if you're a GOP piece of retiree troll garbage still whinning you haven't got to steal the Medicare contributions of everyone under 55 yet, then you'll try to blame Obama for everything. That's the nature of lying, self-serving filth - but I repeat myself, I already noted they are GOP.

[zmonkee]

"lying, self-serving filth".....kind of like how obama has been doing about all the evils the sequester has done?? Or about the Benghazi cover up?? Or about....

David...those in glass houses....

[davidd5063]

Typical of the GOP to spend more taxpayer money holding hearings to try to blame the President for their own self-serving greed and terrorist behavior. Remember, the GOP REFUSES to negotiate over these cuts because millionaires might have to pay higher taxes.

[zmonkee]

blah, blah, raise taxes AGAIN, blah, blah

[GOP-R--Con-Men]

Typical response from ZMONKEE, pure juvenile babel.

[davidd5063]

Wow the GOP trolls are out today trying to blame Obama for the SPENDING CUTS THEY DEMANDED TO PROTECT THEIR PRECIOUS MILLIONAIRES. Not gonna work GOP trolls - EVERYONE know exactly who has been screaming to cut spending since Obama took office, not you got what you want, live with it in Nov. 2014. The lies just make you look self-serving AND pathetic.