Fleming: Shaking my Head at White House Tour Cancellation

Statement

Congressman John Fleming, M.D. (LA-4) released the following statement today after the Obama Administration canceled White House tours, blaming sequestration:

"SMH is a common acronym on social media. It stands for shaking my head. That's my reaction to the latest sequester gamesmanship from President Obama. Congressional offices handle all of the arrangements for White House tours as a service to our constituents. The White House merely runs a background check on the names of people who seek tours. The tours themselves are self-guided. So, why are they being canceled? Could this be another ploy by President Obama to project as much pain as possible on the American people because he can't bear a 2.5% cut in the growth of Washington spending? Mr. President, are you kidding me? This is how the White House handles a slight reduction in growth? My office, like all House offices, has just cut our spending allowance again, for a total of nearly 20% in cuts since Republicans took the House majority. Yet we're still serving our constituents, and guess what -- we're still providing tours of the Capitol to our constituents. The real problem at the White House is a president who lacks the desire and the ability to manage and balance a budget. Mr. Obama needs to stop trying to manufacture chaos on the basis of a small cut in the growth of Washington's spending."

Dr. John Fleming is Chairman of the Natural Resources Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans and Insular Affairs and is a member of the House Armed Services Committee. He is a physician and small business owner and represents the 4th Congressional District of Louisiana.

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