Family Life

10.01.10 | FL News Team

(Washington, DC)  --  A leading Republican lawmaker is pushing for a "cut-as-you-go" rule on new federal programs.  In a speech at the American Enterprise Institute, House Minority Leader John Boehner said it's time to reform rules that allow easy spending while making cutting the budget difficult.

Boehner explained his proposal, saying, "If it is your intention to create a new government program, you must also terminate or reduce spending on an existing government program of equal or greater size."  He elaborated, saying he wants the reduction to be contained in the same bill that includes the new spending.

Democrats responded before Boehner began to deliver his speech.  They accused him of hypocrisy for talking about reform.  A statement by House Speaker Democrat Nancy Pelosi was headed, "House Republican Leader Boehner to give speech on reform despite leading GOP effort against it."  Pelosi's press release stated the U.S. debt nearly doubled in the 12 years of Republican congressional control before Democrats took power back, in the 2006 elections.