While the House Armed Services Committee’s Republicans staff pore over the administration’s Congressionally-mandated (and overdue) report on the impact of sequestration and prepare for a press briefing to denounce it, the top Democrat on the Committee issued a preemptive shot through his spokesperson (click here for the HASC GOP statement):
Washington D.C. – House Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Adam Smith made the following statement today in response to the Administration’s report on sequestration:
“I appreciate that the Administration has provided Congress a report on the potential impact of sequestration, should Congress fail to prevent it from happening. As we have known for quite some time, sequestration would be extremely damaging to national security, and it would impair many important programs that create jobs, spur economic growth and innovation, and educate our children.
“We started down the path to sequestration when a group of Congressional Republicans held the U.S. economy hostage during last year’s debt ceiling debate. Although we must prepare for the unfortunate possibility of an actual sequester, it is all the more important that we work together to avoid that occurrence. I stand ready to work with my colleagues in Congress to pass a big, balanced, long-term solution that includes new revenue as well as new cuts.”
