House conservatives are holding firm on their promise to cut federal spending. Speaking this morning at Heritage, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) outlined $2.5 trillion worth of cuts between now and 2021 — a bold proposal called the Spending Reduction Act (SRA).
Jordan, who serves as chairman of the Republican Study Committee, said the SRA would immediately return spending to 2008 levels and eventually cut non-defense discretionary spending to 2006 levels, as well as implement a hard freeze through 2021.
“I have never seen the American people more ready for the tough-love measures needed to put our country back on a sustainable path,” Jordan said. “The question today is: Will the political class rise to the standard the American people have set the last year and a half? … I think the answer is yes.”
Jordan authored a Washington Examiner op-ed with Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) and Rep. Scott Garrett (R-NJ) detailing the proposal, which also eliminates unused stimulus money and severs the government’s ties to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
It’s one of several priorities for the RSC this year. Jordan reminded the Heritage audience that the RSC exists to ensure that Republicans act like Republicans.
Following shortly after the spending proposal, the RSC plans to unveil a Welfare Reform Act — something Jordan said he feels especially strongly about, as he ran for office in large part to strengthen the institution he considers the country’s bedrock: the family.
“We’ve got to be willing to have the courage to do the right thing,” Jordan said. “Discipline is doing what you don’t want to do when you don’t want to do it. … We are at a point where we can no longer afford to do things the convenient way.”
The congressman’s speech was cut short because he had to return to the House for voting. The House today debated legislation to replace “the job-killing health care law.”
“That was probably the shortest political speech you’ll ever hear,” Jordan joked.