Boehner to Push 5 Percent Budget Cut for House
Speaker-designate John Boehner (R-Ohio) said in a television interview to air Sunday that one of the first bills he would push as leader would be a 5 percent budget cut for leadership and rank-and-file offices and House committees.
“I’m going to cut my budget, my leadership budget 5 percent. I’m going to cut all the leadership budgets by 5 percent,” Boehner told “60 Minutes” in a short clip released by CBS. “I’m going to cut every committee’s budget by 5 percent,” added Boehner. “And every Member is going to see a 5 percent reduction in their allowance. All together that’s $25 [million] to $30 million and it likely would be one of the first votes we cast.”
The cuts should not come as much of a surprise to Members and committee chairmen — the reduction of Congressional spending is one of several planned cuts outlined in the GOP’s “Pledge to America” agenda — but it is the first time Boehner has provided any specifics.
The full “60 Minutes” interview with Boehner will air Sunday at 7 p.m.