WASHINGTON — House Republican leaders yesterday moved to slash $74 billion from the current budget, including a surprise $16 billion cut from usually off-limits defense and security programs.
“Washington’s spending spree is over,” proclaimed House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) when announcing the cuts.
He forced the nearly 20-per- cent reduction with new powers the GOP majority gave the budget chairman to set spending limits.
Ryan set the limit for domestic agencies at a still eye-popping $1.055 trillion, rolling back President Obama’s 2011 budget to pre-stimulus, pre-bailout levels.
The cuts are measured relative to Obama’s spending requests.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) called the spending limit “unworkable,” and Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) vowed that the Republican-led House would not call the shots in Washington.
“Democrats control the Senate and the White House — that’s two-thirds of the decision-making parts of the government here,” Schumer said.