The automatic, across the board spending cuts known as “sequestration” took effect on March 1, 2013.  These spending cuts were proposed by President Obama, who insisted that sequestration be included in the debt limit deal of 2011. The cuts were included in the Budget Control Act of 2011, which was signed into law on August 2, 2011. In an effort to avoid these across the board cuts, the House passed H.R. 5652, the Sequester Replacement Reconciliation Act of 2012, and also H.R. 6684, the Spending Reduction Act of 2012. I voted in favor of these bills, which would have prevented sequestration by replacing it with common-sense spending reductions that members of both parties should be able to support. For instance, it would stop fraud by eliminating government slush funds, put an end to bailouts, and reduce waste and duplicative programs. However, much like their inability to pass a budget in more than 1,400 days, the Democratic-led Senate failed to consider any legislation that could have replaced sequestration.

On January 1, 2013, the House passed H.R. 8, the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, by a bipartisan vote of 257 to 167. H.R. 8 delayed sequestration until March 1, 2013, giving Congress the opportunity to focus the nation's attention on the fact that we are spending more money than we have. Unfortunately, the Senate failed to act again. As a result, the sequestration cuts are now in effect.

Additionally, action is required by Congress to fund the federal government through the remainder of FY2013. The federal government, like any other business or household, must each year have a budget. In the absence of a year-long budget, the House and Senate must approve short-term spending bills known as "continuing resolutions" to keep the federal government operational.

In September of last year, Congress and the President approved H.J.Res. 117, a continuing resolution to keep the government funded through March 27, 2013. With this deadline fast approaching, the House took action by introducing H.R. 933, the Department of Defense, Military Construction, and Veterans Affairs and Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act of 2013. This bill will allow government operations to be funded at the same levels provided in H.J.Res. 117, including the modifications made by the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012. H.R. 933 also includes the spending reductions recently enforced through sequestration, as required by the Budget Control Act of 2011. This bill allows the government to operate on a budget of $984 billion through September 30, 2013. The House passed H.R. 933 with bi-partisan support on March 7, 2013, by a vote of 267 – 151. I voted in favor of final passage.

Congress must now turn its attention to the real problem: Washington's out-of-control spending. This reckless spending drives the debt. And this debt is hurting the economy today. Unless the President gets serious about tackling spending, Americans will face a debt crisis—one that will threaten our most vulnerable in particular. I am hopeful the President will come around and agree to meaningful spending cuts and reforms which are critical if we are going to avert the debt crisis and get the economy growing.

Washington owes the American people a responsible, balanced budget. That is why House Republicans have introduced "The Path to Prosperity: A Responsible, Balanced Budget," a budget resolution for FY2014 that reduces our deficits by $4.6 trillion over ten years and will produce a surplus of $7 billion in 2023. Under current law, spending will rise an annual average of 5.0 percent, resulting in $46 trillion in federal spending over the next ten years. Alternatively, our budget will allow spending to increase annually by only 3.4 percent, reducing our spending over ten years to roughly $41 trillion. Among other things, this budget will cut wasteful government spending, fix our broken tax code, protect and strengthen important priorities like Medicare and national security, and reform welfare programs like Medicaid to ensure that they can serve those in need. By balancing the budget and tackling our debt, this budget will help grow our economy today and ensure the next generation inherits a stronger, more prosperous America.