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House Budget Committee member concerned by Senate 'fiscal cliff' deal's ratio of tax increases to spending cuts
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Well as Mike said the bill now goes to the Republican controlled House of Representatives which meets at noon today.
But there are -- -- the bills on the agenda and it's unclear wind house lawmakers will vote on the fiscal cliff to deal.
If they will joining us now from Washington.
One of the lawmakers at work in the house today south Carolina Republican national -- -- and he is on the Budget Committee thank you so much for joining us.
Another happy new year thanks for -- -- I wanna begin with a look at this joint statement was released by the entire house leadership team it says this quote.
The house will honor its commitment to consider the senate agreement.
If it is past decisions about whether the house will seek to accept or promptly amend the measure.
Will not be made until house members and the American people have been able to review the legislation.
So what do you think is going to happen in the house today will there be a vote on the senate bill.
Well I think the statement actually is is fairly reasonable -- the and the right thing to do will be meeting at 1 o'clock this afternoon as a Republican conference and I guy's supposed to look at this bill.
Together as a group it gives us a few hours to look at it.
This is not a simple piece of legislation -- 96 different provisions -- -- we expected to be -- well over a hundred pages by the time we actually.
I get the hard copies of -- so I think to jump to any conclusions as is the wrong thing to do I'm always surprised that people say they'll support something are even won't support something.
-- before they read it I'm not sure how many senators had a chance to read before they voted on it last night.
But I think -- obviously the market's not open today it's a national holiday there's no reason to rush to a vote.
Later this afternoon.
-- and 41 to one ratio of tax increases to spending cuts in this bill.
And according to the Congressional Budget Office -- senate bill cuts only fifteen billion in spending while increasing tax revenues by 620.
Billion.
What do you think and then when the bill.
But we actually have been able to find the fifteen billion of of spending cuts yet -- everything that we've seen from unemployment insurance being extended to.
Federal workers getting raises two Medicare increases.
Everything we've seen shows increases in spending the president calls -- -- a balanced approach to me.
That would mean the taxes would go up and spending would go down it looks like so far.
Everything that we've seen it as increases in spending in this bill that will be problematic for me in front of members of the house.
And you just kind of hinted at my next question I was going to ask you you know as the -- stands right now if it comes before the house.
What would you vote yes sir now.
-- -- again that we it's a hundred pages home haven't finished reading it yet but that there's no spending cuts -- it.
It's going to be a problem for me the delay of the sequester.
Is a from everyone talks about balance about folks getting things they like getting things they don't like clearly there are things.
In the tax code here that I like AMT fix the death tax fix but for those of us who were interest in cutting spending.
It looks like there's nothing in the bill there for us and -- -- like a very difficult to support the bill.
You know congressmen -- they -- just mentioned the sequestration it calls for 500 billion in defense cuts our defense spending cuts over a decade.
That amounts to about fifty billion annually this delays for two months of 109 dollars -- 109 billion dollars worth across the board spending cuts.
Set to start striking the Pentagon and investigated c.'s this week.
So it was so what do you think about the sequester does it just kind of I don't when he -- phrase -- kick the can down the road what happens after two months.
We probably do this again I mean that's how Washington works is that -- I'm not really sure why it's there are not -- I'm not.
I don't understand who it's there to keep happy who asked for the -- -- If it was the Democrats and in the senate that's one thing if it's Republicans it's another -- -- -- -- house.
I already had a very good plan of how to replace those who question -- with other better cuts.
It looks like that didn't make it into the discussion over in the senate so -- the -- is going to be a big problem over here for those of us who -- interest in reducing spending.
So -- wanna talk a little bit more about whether or not this will in fact come out in the house today when they convene I think it is noon unless that's changed.
The house -- in formally operating under something that's called the -- rule.
Named after house speaker Denny hamster basically house GOP years they they simply will not bring up the bill that doesn't have a majority the majority party in favor.
Pastor would never force a vote on a bill that didn't have the support of the Republican conference.
Even if it could pass with a coalition of some of the members and then a large group the Democrats.
That being said do you expect the speaker Boehner will bring the senate bill to the floor of the house for a vote at all.
And -- his is his speakership at risk.
The the answer the second question by the speaker should be -- -- -- is no this is a legislative issue not a leadership issue to your first point.
I think the statement is is well written of the statement leadership put out which is that we're gonna take a look at it and bring it to the floor we will consider it now whether or not we amend it.
And find something that can get more Republican support remains to be seen in fact that that sounds like it's probably that the best way to -- -- -- did see what the house wants to pass.
With Republican majority but I think I think my hat off to the leadership of at least giving.
The senate a bill -- vote is something that that the senate has not done before us in a long time some Gladys who actually be taking up again we'll go -- Of the house does go in today in session at twelve we're meeting at one so the -- no chance we would vote on before 1 o'clock.
Okay and you mentioned that you could and then did it's it's a hundred pages long how much -- would that take -- at any amendments change a little bit and then the dinner where we got.
It depends in the house you can have one amendment you could have literally thousands of amendments but my guess is there might be a couple of amendments that we agree to is a party to take a look at again I don't know -- I don't get the sense.
Of where the rest of the conference is I sort of was watching your coverage I saw mr.
shape as I saw mr.
-- -- Echo some of things I'm saying about spending I don't know where.
The rest of my party is I've heard some Democrats around the building today say.
That they like it and they'll vote -- on the Democrats.
Echoing mr.
Harkin saying that they didn't care for so I think we're all over the map.
And I think that the best thing to do was actually sit down and read the bill this afternoon and there have been taken up later on today night congressman signaled -- thank you so much for joining us I was actually born in South Carolina we appreciate you taking the time with us and -- -- -- get back tier work.
Thank you thanks again out of.
