Alabama Republicans back House budget slashing $5.5 trillion in spending

United States Capitol (Photo: Eric B. Walker)

WASHINGTON — With the support of Alabama’s six Republican congressmen, the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a $3.8 trillion budget for fiscal year 2016 that Republicans claim will slash spending by $5.5 trillion over a decade. The Budget Resolution sets Congress’ general framework for taxing and spending, which is to be filled in later with specific provisions, including tax policy and appropriations.

The House Budget Proposal, sponsored by Budget Committee Chairman Tom Price (R-GA), is known as “A Balanced Budget for a Strong America.” The plan balances the budget in nine years without raising taxes, which Republicans say puts them in stark contrast to President Obama’s approach.

“Unlike President Obama’s budget, which never balances, our budget achieves balance in less than ten years with serious reforms to mandatory spending and cuts to wasteful spending programs,” said Rep. Bradley Byrne (R-AL1). “Our budget strengthens and preserves Social Security and Medicare to ensure they are solvent for future generations.”

Byrne also touted the increase in military spending in the House-passed budget, one of the main points of negotiation in recent days as GOP budget hawks and defense hawks squared off over a $20 billion bump in Pentagon spending.

The $20 billion was stripped from the budget when it was passed out of committee, but added back in for passage by the full House.

All told the House Budget Resolution sets defense spending at $619 billion. That total includes $96 billion in Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) spending, which is used to fund conflicts across the globe.

Rep. Martha Roby (R-AL2) said final budget “funds the military at necessary levels and allows us to prevent unfair sequestration cuts that could severely harm readiness.”

“The threat from ISIS is growing every day,” she added. “Russia is increasingly aggressive. We don’t know what will happen with Iran and its nuclear ambitions. In a dangerous world, we cannot allow the ill-advised sequestration law to keep us from properly funding national defense.”

Rep. Mike Rogers (R-AL3) also supported the $20 billion increase in defense spending, but said the most important aspect of the plan is that it sets the country on a path toward a balanced budget.

“Across East Alabama, hard-working families live on a budget – even when it means making some tough spending decisions,” he said. “The Federal government should do the same thing. This bill will balance the budget over the next ten years while cutting spending.”

Rep. Gary Palmer (R-AL6) is a member of the Budget Committee and, according to sources on Capitol Hill, played a particularly instrumental role in keeping the Committee together when negotiations broke down, risking a potential embarrassment for GOP leaders anxious to show they can govern effectively.

Roby and Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-AL4) are members of the House Appropriations Committee that will ultimately use the Budget as a framework for appropriating federal dollars to specific programs.