“Is it realistic for the President to hold to a plan that of 535 potential votes, did not get a single vote from a Member of either party.
He wants to hold to that plan? Is that leadership?” 

Washington D.C. – During a meeting of the House Armed Services Committee, U.S. Representative Austin Scott (GA-08) pressed the Under Secretary of Defense, Mr. Robert Hale, for the President’s plan to avoid sequestration.  Rep. Scott cited five plans that have been passed by the House but have yet to be considered in the Senate.  Rep. Scott went on to call for leadership from the President on this issue.  A partial transcript as well as a video of the exchange is included below:

Click on the image to view the exchange

Rep. Scott: Just to set the record straight, this Congress, the House of Representatives in this Congress, has passed 5 different measures to avoid Sequestration.  The President and the Senate, neither one of them has given us any leadership -- any indication of what they will sign.  All they say is they won’t sign what we’ve passed.  It’s time for the U.S. Senate to pass a piece of legislation that deals with sequestration and quite honestly; it’s time for the President to show some leadership on this issue as well.  Mr. Hale, can you tell us what the President’s proposal is that he would actually sign?

Mr. Hale: Mr. Scott, he—the administration has made two proposals: one last October to the Joint Committee on deficit reduction and then one in the President’s Budget.  I think he would sign either of those…

Rep. Scott: Mr. Hale, can I remind you that the President didn’t get a single vote from either a Democrat or a Republican on his budget.  That’s how fiscally out of balance his proposal was.  He didn’t get a vote in the Senate on his budget.  I apologize for interrupting, but is it realistic for the President to hold to a plan  that of 535 potential votes, did not get a single vote from a Member of either party.  He wants to hold to that plan? Is that leadership? 

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