“The Secretary of the Treasury is the premier financial post in government and our financial ambassador to the world. How can we place in that post a man who has consistently placed his own partisan interests above the financial well-being of our constituents?” WASHINGTON—U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, […]
“We therefore request the following submissions be sent to Congress so that we may properly consider Mr. Lew’s nomination: 1. A detailed legislative proposal responsive to the latest Medicare funding warning to bring the administration into compliance with federal law; 2. All documents, electronic or otherwise, received, reviewed or authored by Mr. Lew regarding responding […]
“Paul Ryan is leading. Speaker Boehner is leading. House Republicans are leading. But Senate Democrats, who control this chamber—who asked for this job—are refusing to allow a budget to move forward. They are refusing to share with the American people the contents of the plan they crafted behind closed doors—a plan they claim exists. “I […]
“I have repeatedly and emphatically called for an end to the Senate Democrats’ brazen legal defiance in this time of national fiscal emergency… To compel Senate action I have introduced legislation, blocked recess, and encouraged the use of the debt ceiling as leverage. Now, with their pay threatened, and long-simmering public anger growing, Senate Democrats […]
“The House must be steadfast. It is unthinkable that Senator Reid and Chairman Murray would put the nation through turmoil because they refuse to do their moral and statutory duty to produce a budget… It will not be easy because the challenge is great—and has become greater each year as a result of inaction by […]
“The suggested schedule we offer below would result in regular meetings and a timeline that leads to the completion of a budget resolution in accordance with the statutory requirements… We believe that work on a Senate budget is an essential prerequisite of any fiscal reform that takes place this year.” WASHINGTON—U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), […]
“We must return to the moral principles of the 1996 reform… It is through that prism that we should consider reforms to our welfare programs, ensure resources are targeted to those in genuine need, and help more people transition from dependence to independence.” WASHINGTON—U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, issued […]
This chart displays projected federal spending on federal welfare programs over the next ten years, based on data from the Congressional Research Service and Congressional Budget Office. These figures do not count state contributions to federal welfare programs (primarily on low-income health assistance) which brought total welfare spending in FY2011 to more than $1 trillion—dwarfing […]
“Jack Lew must never be Secretary of the Treasury. His testimony before the Senate Budget Committee less than two years ago was so outrageous and false that it alone disqualifies… He is also the architect of two of the worst budgets in American history, both of which received zero votes in the Senate… For me, […]
WASHINGTON—U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, issued the following statement today as committee assignments were announced for the 113th Congress: “I am thrilled with the strong Republican membership we have on the Budget Committee and grateful for their support. I look forward to working with my colleagues to tackle […]
WASHINGTON—U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, issued the following statement tonight about the vote on legislation to prevent the fiscal cliff by avoiding large tax increases as well as making permanent the temporary tax relief passed in 2001 and 2003: “This legislation is necessary to prevent a large and […]
WASHINGTON—U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, issued the following statement tonight about the status of negotiations to resolve the fiscal cliff: “No deal has been produced and no agreement has yet been reached that Congress could vote on, much less one that could be scored by CBO or scrutinized […]
“In some of our first inquiries in examination of their program, we find that they are on a determined effort to expand the number of people who get on welfare—on food stamps—even if they don’t want to be on food stamps… Is this the right approach for America? … Can’t we look back to the […]
Welfare spending is now the largest item in the budget—and will continue to grow every year. According to data from the Congressional Research Service, total spending on means-tested poverty programs in FY2011 was around $1 trillion, more than was spent on Social Security, Medicare, or defense. CRS data also reveals that spending on these programs […]
“President Obama talks a lot about a ‘balanced plan’ for deficit reduction, but there is one simple question the White House won’t answer: how do you plan to balance the budget?” WASHINGTON—U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, issued the following statement today about a new report from the Congressional […]
Based on data from the Congressional Research Service, cumulative spending on means-tested federal welfare programs, if converted into cash, would equal $167.65 per day per household living below the poverty level. By comparison, the median household income in 2011 of $50,054 equals $137.13 per day. Additionally, spending on federal welfare benefits, if converted into cash […]
WASHINGTON—Senators Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, and John Thune (R-SD), Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, today sent a letter to Wendy Spencer, Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), a government entity responsible for matching volunteers with local community service organizations. The letter outlines […]
“There is a reason why the White House strongly prefers to operate in secrecy… If the White House believes our analysts are mistaken, the Budget Committee is standing by to review any concrete financial plan the President wishes to produce.” WASHINGTON—U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, issued the following […]
“Until this fantasy ‘plan’ from a secret meeting is made public and scored by the Congressional Budget Office it does not exist… It is a distraction that allows the White House to continue to run out the clock so it can have maximal leverage to force through a bad deal in the last minutes before […]
“Insofar as I can see, a tax-and-spend policy remains [President Obama’s] goal today. The White House isn’t planning to raise taxes to reduce the deficit, but to grow the government. I don’t believe Congress will accept such a deal if that is what is being discussed… Shouldn’t the President of the United States, the only […]
WASHINGTON—U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, issued the following statement today after the Senate voted to uphold a budget point of order he raised against the sportsmen’s bill, which violated budget levels agreed to by Congress and the President: “I’m pleased my colleagues agreed that the Senate should abide […]
“While Social Security trustees can correctly say that the money they loaned to the Treasury is theirs to draw upon, the Treasury—already in debt and without reserves—cannot deny that it is right now borrowing money from the United States and the world to pay that obligation.” WASHINGTON—U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Ranking Member of the […]
“Federal law prohibits the granting of visas to those likely to be welfare reliant, yet DHS actively promotes these benefits to millions of new arrivals every year. DHS knows this, which is perhaps why they refuse to comply with an oversight request on this very issue from the Ranking Members of four Senate Committees… DHS […]
“Secrecy cements the status quo: more spending, more debt, more runaway government. It is the enemy of accountability, change, and reform… That is why I am calling upon our leaders to guarantee that any plan to avert the fiscal cliff has one full week on the Senate floor with open amendment and debate.” WASHINGTON—U.S. Sen. […]