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Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023

Floor Speech

Date: June 1, 2023
Location: Washington, DC

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Mr. COTTON. Madam President, I call up my amendment No. 106 and ask that it be reported by number.

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Mr. COTTON. Madam President, colleagues, this bill has budget caps for domestic and defense spending. I don't like the defense number this year. I like it even less next year. That is why I am opposing it.

But it also has a much worse provision. It has a 1-percent automatic reduction that is based on last year's omnibus, not the caps on this bill. Let me restate that: last year's omnibus, not this bill.

So if we go to a continuing resolution on October 1, which we almost always do, domestic spending will go up by $61 billion while defense goes down by $27 billion--not the caps in this bill.

If the sequester of 1 percent kicks in, domestic spending will go up by $61 billion and defense will go down by $37 billion. Progressives will get more welfare for grown men who refuse to work while defense is slashed. Think about the incentives this gives to the Democratic leader when it comes to appropriations bills.

I ask for a simple change in this amendment. The sequester should be based on the caps that you are about to agree to, not last year's spending bill.

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