Hello--
There is a lot of talk lately about the sequester. So what exactly is it? This term refers to across-the-board spending cuts proposed by the president and agreed to by Congress in 2011.
The result is about $85 billion in actual spending cuts over the next seven months. Half of the reductions will come from defense accounts with the other half coming from discretionary domestic programs.
To put this number into perspective, the president has logged four consecutive trillion-dollar plus deficits.
In other words, spending is the problem. I agree that Congress must decrease spending, but there is a better way to reach this goal.
Last year, I voted twice to replace the across-the-board cuts with targeted reductions. These replacement bills were fair for programs that benefit Mississippians. These bills were fair for the protection of necessary government functions.
The Harry Reid-controlled Senate refused to vote on either bill last year. Even more, they have not offered any alternatives or concrete plans to avoid the sequester.
The president has decided to make the cuts in a way that hurts people the most. We need leadership, not politics, out of the White House.
Now, the reality is that the decreases will be felt in Mississippi. But we’re a resilient people. Our citizens will tighten their belts and respond accordingly.
As the impact of these automatic cuts set in, let’s stay in touch about how this change affects you and your neighbors. Please join the conversation by visiting my Facebook page.
God Bless,
Gregg Harper
Member of Congress
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