U.S. Rep. and Retired Army Lieutenant Colonel Allen West (R-FL) “uses the Republican address to lay into the president for the cuts West says will mean ‘serious consequences for our nation's security,’” according to ABC News Radio.  Rep. West, CNN notes, “cited his military experience” in explaining how President Obama’s  ‘sequester’ would hollow out our armed forces and “called for action from the Senate and White House.”  The New York Times adds that Rep. West “applauded his colleagues in the House for producing a ‘responsible plan to replace these ‘devastating’ cuts,’ while accusing President Obama of failing to lead Washington to a solution,” and not pressing his Senate allies to act.

Below, check out more coverage of the Weekly Republican Address, which you can now read, listen to, watch, and download.

“URGED PRESIDENT OBAMA TO WORK WITH LAWMAKERS TO HELP AVERT SEQUESTRATION”: “Republican Rep. Allen West (Fla.) on Saturday urged President Obama to work with lawmakers to help avert sequestration, calling the impending automatic cuts to defense a ‘dark could’ which ‘hangs over our military.’ … The Florida lawmaker pressed the administration to accept a Republican proposal for avoiding the impending cuts, and said Obama had shown a ‘failure to lead.’ … In the GOP address, West pointed to this week’s turmoil in the Middle East, arguing that the nation needed a strong military more than ever. … ‘It is because of these threats that America must continue to fund its military and support its Armed Forces to the fullest extent,’ continued West. ‘The lives of all Americans depend on it.  As do the memories of Ambassador Chris Stevens and the public servants who perished with him this week in the Middle East.’” (The Hill, “GOP Rep. West presses Obama to help avert looming defense cuts,” 9/15/12)

“SAID THE DEFENSE CUTS … ‘WOULD ESSENTIALLY HOLLOW OUT OUR ARMED FORCES’”: “The Republicans used their Saturday radio address to pressure President Obama over possible defense cuts.  Rep. Allen West, R-Fla., identifying himself as a ‘United States Representative and Retired Army Lieutenant Colonel,’ said the defense cuts in the sequester ‘would essentially hollow out our armed forces,’ and he blamed Obama.  ‘Mr. President: for you -- the Commander-in-Chief of our Armed Forces -- to sit idle and do nothing while this dark cloud hangs over our military, it is shameful, it is irresponsible, and it is wrong. It is dead wrong,’ West said.”  (USA TODAY, “GOP pressures Obama over defense cuts,” 9/15/12)

“CITED HIS MILITARY EXPERIENCE … CALLED FOR ACTION FROM THE SENATE AND WHITE HOUSE”: “Rep. Allen West of Florida cited his military experience on Saturday in the Republican weekly address, where he called for action from the Senate and White House on the sequester set to begin in January.  ‘I spent 22 years in active duty in the United States Army and served in several combat zones,’ the retired lieutenant colonel said. ‘I cannot understate the amount of damage these cuts would do to our military. They would essentially hollow out our armed forces.’ … While House Republicans have acted to find alternatives to these cuts, the Democrat-controlled Senate and White House have not, he said.  ‘The president himself has opposed or disregarded every attempt we've made to work with him on a solution,’ West said. … West called to mind violence in the Arab world this week - including that which led to the death of four Americans at a U.S. consulate in Libya - as a sign of ‘how critical it is that the United States projects strength,’ including military strength.” (CNN, “West highlights defense cuts in sequestration,” 9/15/12)

“APPLAUDED HIS COLLEAGUES IN THE HOUSE” FOR RESPONSIBLE PLAN TO REPLACE PRESIDENT'S 'SEQUESTER': “Representative Allen B. West of Florida delivered the Republican Party’s weekly address, using the recent violence in Libya to condemn Congressional inaction on sequestration.  ‘I cannot underestimate the amount of damage these cuts would do to our military,’ he said. … He applauded his colleagues in the House for producing a ‘responsible plan to replace these ‘devastating’ cuts,’ while accusing President Obama of failing to lead Washington to a solution by opposing that plan.” (The New York Times, 9/15/12)

“SAID OBAMA BEARS THE BLAME FOR INTRODUCING … SEQUESTRATION”: “West … said Obama bears the blame for introducing the concept of across-the-board sequestration cuts into last year’s budget deal as a way to avoid having to address the issue during his reelection campaign.  ‘Mr. President: For you — the commander-in-chief of our Armed Forces — to sit idle and do nothing while this dark cloud hangs over our military, it is shameful, it is irresponsible, and it is wrong,’ West said.  … West countered that the White House would be responsible for a funding crunch that leads to a historic reduction in troop levels.” (POLITICO, 9/15/12)

“SAYS HIS PARTY HAS A PLAN TO AVOID SLASHING THE DEFENSE BUDGET”: “In the Republican address, Congressman Allen West of Florida accused the Obamaadministration of weakening the military by not stopping spending cuts set to take effect in January. Congressman Allen says his party has a plan to avoid slashing the defense budget, but he says Democratic Party members in the Senate do not support the Republican plan.” (VOA News, 9/15/12)

“REFERS TO THE DEMS’ RESISTANCE AS A ‘BARGAINING CHIP TO RAISE TAXES’”: “…Rep. Allen West, R-Fla., uses the Republican address to lay into the president for the cuts West says will mean ‘serious consequences for our nation's security.’ … West touts the GOP-led House's proposed plan to replace the cuts while criticizing the president and the Democratic-run Senate for what he says is a failure to lead on the matter. … In the address, West refers to the Dems' resistance as a ‘bargaining chip to raise taxes.’  West aims a plea ‘directly’ to President Obama, asking him to work with Republicans.  … ‘For the sake of our country and our future, I hope you will do the right thing, sir, and work with us to eliminate this threat so we can confront the grave threats to freedom around the globe, to us and our allies.’” (ABC News Radio, “Rep. West Says Obama, Dems Are 'Doing Nothing' to Avoid Massive Defense Cuts,” 9/15/12) 

“PRESIDENT HAS BALKED AT EFFORTS BY CONGRESSIONAL REPUBLICANS ” TO REPLACE HIS 'SEQUESTER': “In the Republican radio address, Rep. Allen West of Florida called on Obama to work with Congress to replace across-the-board spending cuts that West saidwere a serious threat to national security. … West, who served for 22 years in the Army, said the president has balked at efforts by congressional Republicans to replace the automatic cuts…” (Associated Press, 9/15/12)