WASHINGTON –House Armed Services Committee Chairman Howard P. “Buck” McKeon made the following statement responding to news reports that President Obama has decided to ignore a legal deadline for delivery of a report complying with the Sequestration Transparency Act. The Act, which was passed by broad bi-partisan majorities in both chambers, required the President to report on how he would implement across-the-board spending cuts by today.

"The President’s continued silence on sequestration is disappointing. I can only conclude that President Obama wants to impose cuts his own Secretary of Defense has called catastrophic. His administration proposed the sequester trigger in the first place and he is on record subordinating this crisis to his own political prospects. What other reason could he have for delaying a report that makes the consequences of sequestration as clear as possible."