Thursday, February 21, 2013
10:58 AM
Pocan seeks 'thoughtful approach' on sequester
U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan today called for urgency and a "thoughtful approach" from congressional leaders just over a week before devastating cuts would hit the state as the result of the spending cuts in the sequester.
Pocan, D-Madison, called the sequester a "budget tornado" during a Capitol press conference with Citizen Action of Wisconsin -- and that its effects on jobs, education and health care aren't being discussed nearly enough as the deadline to avoid it looms on March 1.
"We've already seen some of the impacts, because you have to plan," Pocan said. "You just can't keep punting and not deal with it."
Pocan said Democrats understand the need for budget cuts to address the nation's deficit, and that he believes House leadership, including Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, want to address the sequester more responsibly.
But he charged that many of the "Tea Party" members of the majority caucus are "driving the train on the sequester."
"It's like taking a meat ax to the budget instead of a scalpel, and its effect are very real," Pocan said.
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