BREAKING: Independent CBO Confirms Spending Cuts Exceed Debt Limit Hike in Revised GOP Plan; Bill Now Includes $22 Billion in Deficit Reduction in First Year
Posted by Speaker Boehner's Press Office on July 27, 2011
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has released its analysis of the revised Budget Control Act of 2011 today, and CBO’s analysis confirms that the spending cuts are greater than the debt hike – affirming that the House GOP bill meets the critical test House Republicans have said they will insist upon for any bill to raise the nation’s debt ceiling. Specifically, the CBO analysis confirms the Republican plan will:
- Cut and cap spending by $917 billion over 10 years – that’s more than the $900 billion debt hike;
- Cut $22 billion in spending for FY2012 and hold spending below FY2010 levels until FY2016;
- Continue reducing discretionary spending each year compared to President Obama’s budget (by $96 billion in 2012, $118 billion in 2013, $115 billion in 2014, $117 billion in 2015, and so on); and
- Require Congress to draft proposals that produce reductions of at least $1.8 trillion that help protect programs like Medicare and Social Security from bankruptcy.
Republicans adjusted their spending cut bill after a lower-than-expected score from CBO. This updated analysis confirms what others are saying: the Republican plan “changes the trajectory of spending” and “would keep the debt cutting process going.” Unlike Senator Reid’s gimmick-filled plan, the Republican proposal includes real spending cuts and reforms that will restrain future spending – and the spending cuts are larger than the debt limit increase.
This bill is far from perfect, but it’s a positive step forward that denies President the $2.4 trillion blank check that lets him continue his spending binge through the next election. Learn more about it here.Also: New analysis by the House Budget Committee shows the GOP Budget Control Act achieves roughly 66 percent of the discretionary spending cuts in the House-passed budget. The GOP bill cuts and caps spending by $917 billion over 10 years – $22 billion in FY2012 alone – and will prevent a national default that would hurt private-sector job growth. It also keeps the focus on cutting spending, requiring a plan by December that cuts at least $1.8 trillion more. See the chart below from the Budget Committee: 