Press Releases

U.S. Rep. Huizenga, MI-02, released the following statement about the debt ceiling negotiations and his original co-sponsorship of the House Republican plan, called the Cut, Cap, and Balance Act, which is set to be voted on next Tuesday and is slated to cut $111 billion in spending in FY 2012, cap total federal spending and return it by 2017 to average spending levels over the last 30 years of below 20 percent of GDP, and it also requires Congress pass a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution on to the states before voting to raise the nation’s debt limit.

This House Republican plan ensures seniors and veterans are protected, as it only cuts non-veteran, non-Medicare, and non-Social Security spending.

“We must ask ourselves as a nation, 'How did we get into this debt mess?' And then we must change those bad habits. In Washington, this means changing the trajectory of spending. Right now, we are paying for the sins of past Congresses and Administrations. The current Administration and the Senate have not shown they are serious about having a fact-based conversation about a plan for long-term fiscal sanity, and are risking stalled economic recovery and frozen private-sector hiring. The House Republican plan is written for future generations, not future elections. Government must tighten its belt just like American families have had to. Our commonsense plan would address our current, medium, and long-term spending habits and make fiscal sanity a Constitutional requirement to ensure the federal budget is permanently under control and will help keep government accountable and prevent it from using taxpayer dollars for their own personal spending spree,” Huizenga said.

The details of the bill include:

CUT

Cuts total spending by $111 billion in FY 2012.  The savings is divided as follows:

•  Reduce non-security discretionary spending below 2008 levels, which saves $76 billion. 
•  $35 billion cut to non-veterans, non-Medicare, non-Social Security mandatory spending.
•   Defense budget at President’s level. 

CAP

Total federal spending is scaled back based on the glide path for the fiscal years below:

•  2012, 22.5% of GDP.
•  2013, 21.7% of GDP.
•  2014, 20.8% of GDP.
•  2015, 20.2% of GDP.
•   2016, 20.2% of GDP.
•   2017, 20.0% of GDP.
•  2018, 19.7% of GDP.
•   2019, 19.9% of GDP.
•   2020, 19.9% of GDP.
•   2021, 19.9% of GDP.

BALANCE

Requires the passage of a Balanced Budget Amendment before raising the nation’s debt limit.

DEBT CEILING INCREASE CONTINGENT ON BBA

Provides for the President’s request for a debt ceiling increase  – of less than the spending cuts in this bill -   if a qualifying Balanced Budget Amendment passes Congress and is sent to the states for ratification to the U.S. 

###