Barr Calls on Congress to Replace the President's Sequestration by Setting Priorities

New Congressman urges “Thoughtful and Strategic Plan” to Replace President's “Haphazard and Devastating” Cuts

February 12, 2013

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Andy Barr sent a letter yesterday to Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH) and Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) supporting legislation to replace the sequester; across-the-board spending cuts set to take effect on March 1.

Barr, who did not vote for the 2011 legislation proposed by President Obama, advocates “a more thoughtful and strategic plan to reduce spending.”  The Sixth District lawmaker notes that the House “twice pass[ed] legislation” in 2012 which achieved this goal.  Unfortunately, the United States Senate failed to act on this legislation.

Commenting on his reasons for sending this letter, Congressman Barr released the following statement:

“I am working with my House colleagues to find a bipartisan solution that reduces spending in an equal amount as sequestration, but which replaces indiscriminate cuts with an intelligent setting of priorities,” Barr said.  “The cuts imposed by sequestration could have a devastating impact in Kentucky, compromising the demilitarization of the chemical weapons stockpile at the Blue Grass Army Depot and threating the survival of our rural Critical Access Hospitals.

“Addressing our $16.4 trillion national debt crisis is hard work that demands presidential leadership,” Barr continued.  “Instead, President Obama remains fixated on an endless series of job-killing tax hikes, when real spending reform is what will put Kentuckians back to work.”

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