GOP pushes bill to cut spending by $100 billion

House Appropriations Committee Chairman Rep. Hal Rogers (R-Ky.) has introduced a continuing resolution (H.R. 1) to fund the federal government for the remainder of this fiscal year and cut spending by more than $100 billion compared with President Barack Obama's fiscal 2011 budget request.

The committee released a detailed list of programs that would be cut if the legislation Introduced Feb . 11 is implemented. The Energy Department and the Environmental Protection Agency would have major cuts under the measure.

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A summary of the legislation said $81 billion would be cut from nonsecurity programs, and security-related programs would be reduced by $19 billion.

“The cuts are not ambiguous across-the-board reductions but are thoughtful, line-by-line reductions in specific programs,” the summary states. “These cuts were determined through careful and fair analysis of all discretionary agencies and programs — without regard to political 'sacred cows' — and affect nearly every facet of the federal government.”

However, the legislation would increase funding for the Defense Department by 2 percent compared with last year's funding, according to the committee.

Rogers had previously said he would reduce spending by more than $74 billion in the CR legislation, but he upped the amount to $100 billion after meeting with his subcommittee leaders. The full House is expected to consider the measure this week.

“It is my intent — and that of my committee — that this CR legislation will be the first of many appropriations bills this year that will significantly reduce federal spending,” Rogers said. “It is important that we complete the legislative process on this bill before March 4 — when the current funding measure expires — to avoid a governmentwide shutdown and so that we can begin our regular budgetary work for this year.”

Meanwhile, the Obama administration is already looking ahead to the next fiscal year. The president’s fiscal 2012 budget proposal, which is being released today, seeks to reduce the deficit by $1.1 trillion in the next 10 years.