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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsReid Tests GOP Outrage Over Airport Delays With Plan To Pay Down Sequestration For Five Months
I think we should do something about sequestration. Its important we do, he told reporters at his weekly Capitol briefing. We should do what was in one of the Ryan budgets, and that is use the overseas contingency fund to delay the implementation of sequestration. We could do it for five months. During this five month period, we could come up with something longer-term.
The Overseas Contingency Operation (OCO) fund still contains approximately half a trillion unspent dollars, thanks to troop drawdowns from Iraq and Afghanistan in recent years. House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI) has called for using those funds in his prior budget proposals to help reach his deficit reduction targets.
Theres about $650 billion there, Reid said. Lets use a small part of that to delay sequestration for five months. Were going to move to that later this afternoon.
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2013/04/airport-delays-reid-sequestration-faa-war-savings.php
GeorgeGist
(25,294 posts)Leslie Valley
(310 posts)with what Paul Ryan has already proposed.
How are they going to make the sequester hurt and make political points if they keep smoothing things over?
Recall the caterwauling when military education benifits were going to be cut?
They found the money somewhere.
Cha
(295,929 posts)when something good is going on it can't be seen through all the hate fumes.
The move leaves Republicans with a tough choice. Outside the context of the Ryan budget, they have routinely opposed using OCO funds for anything other than deficit reduction. But amid complaints from middle-class constituents inconvenienced by air-traffic delays, theyll have a hard time blocking bills that promise temporarily and painless relief.
octoberlib
(14,971 posts)delays then they should agree to it.
justhanginon
(3,287 posts)how the sob's in congress get so upset about the sequestration for delaying air travelers but didn't blink an eye or even notice that most of the cuts affect the poor and most vulnerable among us. Cut housing, cut healthcare etc. and no one gives a s..t but, boy, you delay a congressman from flying home from his part time job and there is hell to pay. I am so sick and disgusted with this whole goddamned congress I could cry. I hope at some point in their selfish self centered lives they get to live in the hell they are creating for the average american citizen.
There, I feel much better!