More on Defense and National Security
Feb 21, 2013
Hoosier GOP push for sequester
INDIANAPOLIS – Hoosier Democrats like U.S. Rep. Pete Visclosky view the next eight days heading into the unprecedented $85 billion sequester as an exercise of “mindless cuts.” For Republicans such as U.S. Sen. Dan Coats and U.S. Rep. Todd Young, March 1 is an inevitable reality. “Many of my colleagues in the House and the Senate find themselves at the point where across-the-board cuts are sub-optimal, to say the least, as opposed to cutting spending,” Young told HPI Wednesday. “We also feel resigned to the fact that we’re not getting any cooperation from the administration in addressing our spending challenges. This administration isn’t producing a budget. We don’t feel like we have an honest broker.” “So I believe, tragically, this sequester will go into effect on March 1. I just haven’t seen indications that the President giving his campaign speeches around the country is prepared to get as serious as he should.” Speaking in the Indiana Senate Monday, Coats said he sees the sequester as the point where someone in Congress finally gets serious about spending. “I think it’s going to go forward and needs to go forward,” said Coats, who has made a number of speeches from the U.S. Senate floor in recent weeks imploring spending cuts. “It’s the only leverage we have to try to force the President and the Democrats into a long-term package that will put us on the path to fiscal health and a balanced budget. It’s much better if we do it another way. We’re ready to do it another way, but the President got his take on taxes; we think the problem is spending, and if this is the only way we can get the leverage to get to a big package, we’re going to do it.” U.S. Rep. Todd Rokita told HPI late Wednesday afternoon that he, too, believes sequester will become a reality. “Will it change after it kicks in?” Rokita asked. “Will they hold the line in the face of tactics similar to those during the government shutdown?” This is the prevalent attitude in the Indiana congressional delegation which is 8-to-3 Republican. U.S. Rep. Marlin Stutzman explained, “President Obama proposed an automatic cut, or sequester, of nearly half a trillion dollars to the Defense Department. Now he’s campaigning against his own proposal, relying on fear instead of facts. Rather than working with Congress to responsibly replace defense cuts with matching cuts to wasteful spending, President Obama is calling for yet another oppressive tax increase. House Republicans have passed legislation twice to avoid gutting defense and instead cut real government waste. Instead of working in good faith, President Obama is counting on tax hikes to fix the problem he caused and in the process will punish middle class families and small businesses. With less than 10 days left, President Obama should get serious about our nation’s $16 trillion debt by cutting spending responsibly.” Pentagon impact Asked about the $46 billion in spending cuts to the Pentagon, Young explained, “Republicans remain ardent proponents of national security. It’s not quite the same thing as being ardent defenders of the Pentagon.” Young added that little effort has been made to explore the mission of the Department of Defense in the coming years and then designing a budget to meet those needs. “In a world of ideal Washington policy making, you would ideally make cuts to the defense budget in conjunction with strategy,” Young said. “Former Secretary (Robert) Gates said not long ago, ‘We’re prepared to cut defense spending in this budget. But first you’ve got to tell us where you no longer want to go and what missions you no longer want us to perform.’ That sort of strategic analysis has not been forthcoming from the administration. That’s the job of the Commander-in-Chief.” Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said on Wednesday that 800,000 civilian jobs would be lost. The Fort Wayne Journal Gazette reported that 170 jobs at the Air Guard base would be lost. “There is no mistaking that the rigid nature of the cuts forced upon this department, and their scale, will result in a serious erosion of readiness across the force,” Panetta said in a memo. Visclosky, the Merrillville Democrat, told the NWI Times that America’s armed forces and border security will be especially hard hit by the “mindless” cuts, which apply across all government spending regardless of importance. “The safety and security of the American people should not be bargaining chips in high-stakes budget negotiations,” Visclosky told the Times. “Instead of mindlessly cutting defense and border security programs that keep Americans safe from harm, we must make thoughtful, deliberate decisions about the country’s fiscal future.” But Rokita emphasizes, “We’re talking about a 3% reduction in the government budget and that doesn’t negate the coming increases. The federal government will take in $2.7 trillion in taxes in 2013, an all-time record.” So as members of the Indiana delegation began weighing in, President Obama was lining up TV interviews with local stations and stumping in campaign style events, believing that public opinion will ultimately back his position and potentially damage the GOP brand further. A new Pew Research Poll released Wednesday shows 40% of Americans say it would be better to let the automatic spending cuts go into effect, while 49% say it would be better to delay the cuts. Both Republicans and independents are divided evenly over which approach is better, and even among Democrats, roughly a third favor letting the sequester take effect over any delays. Gallup had congressional approval at just 15% on Tuesday, with Obama’s job approve/disapprove at 51/42%. Rasmussen Reports had Obama approval/disapprove at 52/46%. A Bloomberg News Poll has Obama’s approval at 55%, a three-year high, compared to 35% for GOP lawmakers. CBS Political Director John Dickerson observed, “The White House thinks they have the upper hand. Polling shows the President with a much better approval rating than Congress.” Speaking while surrounded by first responders on Tuesday, President Obama said that the military and local emergency personnel would be hurt “if Congress allows this meat-cleaver approach to take place.” “Changes like this affect our responsibility to respond to threats in unstable parts of the world,” Obama said. “These cuts are not smart, they are not fair, they will hurt our economy, they will add hundreds of thousands of Americans to the unemployment rolls. This is not an abstraction – people will lose their jobs.” The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee issued a list of potential effets on Indiana: Sequester would cut 23,942 jobs in Indiana; it would cost Hoosiers $1.2 billion in total lost income; 13,800 mothers and young children would lose access to food assistance and critical health care; 4,300 fewer children would receive vaccinations; 30,000 fewer women, children and families would receive critical preventive health care. A balanced approach Young noted that Obama has called for a “balanced approach” and observed, “We just saw a massive tax increase at the first of this year, much of it on middle class families” he said of the payroll tax. “We’ve got a middle class tax increase in the Obama health care plan. We’re looking at the other side of the balanced approach which is spending reductions. We’re just not getting what we’re looking for. “I believe I speak for the majority of our conference in this regard. We have no problem with and enthusiastically embrace the notion that we need to close a lot of deductions, eliminate some credits that benefit only narrow interests at the expense of other Americans. But Republicans prefer to do tax reform in a comprehensive manner, meaning putting every single provision in the corporate code and individual code on the table, and then negotiating in good faith in the end with Democrats to come up with a bipartisan, comprehensive plan.” Young said there is little difference between Democrats and Republicans on tax simplification and broadening the base. “There are differences where we end up on breaks,” Young added. “Republicans want a 25% corporate rate,” noting that the U.S. has the highest rate (35%) in the industrialized world, and a 25% personal rate (now at 39.6%). Risks and payoffs Americans are entering uncharted territory here. There has been speculation that the military will be harmed, the stock market – now near record heights – could tank, that we could face a double-dip recession, that the jobless rate will spike upward. Rep. Young said that he’s hearing far more from constituents on the gun violence proposals in the wake of Newtown, Conn. Rokita said that he’s hearing equally from constituents on guns and sequester. “What I’m hearing is, ‘Stay the course.’ he said. No one in the Indiana delegation is holding out much hope that sequester will be avoided. Republicans are seeking leverage. Democrats believe a rigid GOP will simply inflict even more damage on their brand. It will be interesting to see whether the public and the credit rating agencies will equate sequester with the government shutdown of 1995. The one notion that might bring consensus is: This is a lousy way to govern, but few offer a compelling path to find the right way.
Dec 30, 2012
Release - Rokita Votes for Restoration of Clark Veterans Cemetery
U.S. Rep. Todd Rokita today issued the following statement after the passage of the Dignified Burial of Veterans Act, S.3202, which transfers and provides for the restoration of Clark Veterans Cemetery in the Philippines to the American Battle Monuments Commission, a cause taken up by 4th District student, Nathaniel Beeler of Avon.
Nov 30, 2012
Rokita: PLO’s Efforts at U.N. Complicate Peace Process with Israel
U.S. Rep. Todd Rokita issued the following statement after the United Nations voted to grant “non-member state” status to the Palestinian Liberation Organization.
Nov 16, 2012
Rokita: U.S. Must Continue “Unwavering Support” for Israel
U.S. Rep. Todd Rokita issued the following statement on the escalating violence between Hamas militants and Israel. Rokita also supported the passage of H. Res. 813, expressing America’s commitment to Israel’s security and its right to defend itself.
Sep 17, 2012
Rokita Announces Nov. 2 Deadline for Service Academy Nomination Requests
U.S. Rep. Todd Rokita announced that Friday, Nov. 2, 2012, is the deadline for military service academy applicants to request a nomination from his office.
Sep 12, 2012
Rokita: Attacks in Libya and Egypt are Horrific, Stark Contrast to American Ideals
U.S. Rep. Todd Rokita today issued the following statement on the attacks in Libya that resulted in the deaths of U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three staff members, as well as the recent assault on the U.S. Embassy in Cairo.
Jun 15, 2012
Rokita Issues Statement on Obama Administration’s Immigration Announcement
U.S. Rep. Todd Rokita today issued the following statement in response to the Obama administration’s announcement that it would end deportations for hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants:
Mar 5, 2012
Rokita Reading: American Conservative - Attack of the Pork Hawks
From the March 6 Rokita Report. Rokita Reading: American Conservative - Attack of the Pork Hawks
Mar 1, 2012
Rokita Statement on Testimony of Secretary Panetta before Budget Committee
Today Rep. Todd Rokita issued the following statement regarding the testimony of the Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta before the House Budget Committee.
Feb 20, 2012
Red Tape Rollback Victory - Rokita Lauds FCC’s LightSquared Decision
Representative Todd Rokita applauds commonsense roll back of LightSquared network proposal
