The Sequestration  Prevention  Act of  2012 is the only bill in the House that would prevent all ten years of the impending defense cuts. H.R. 6389 would restore defense spending with billions of dollars in savings from reforms to social welfare programs and  reductions in the size of the federal workforce. Under H.R. 6389, defense spending as a percent of the nation's gross domestic product would slowly return to 4 percent.

To return more authority back to the states, the Sequestration Prevention Act would block grant Medicaid and the food stamp programs to the states. This would be similar to the successful welfare reforms of the 1990s. Giving states the flexibility to administer these programs would save the federal taxpayer billions of dollars and give the states more control in meeting the needs of their people.

This bill would also force fiscal discipline by placing caps on non-defense discretionary spending to 2006 levels and cut the federal workforce by 10 percent through attrition.

“We must not stand on the sidelines while our nation is increasingly vulnerable to threats from abroad and is in economic decline here at home. The time to act is now. Providing for the common defense is the chief responsibility of the federal government. Congress must do its part to defend the nation while at the same time reduce federal spending, and, where possible, return power to the states.”– Doug Lamborn (CO-05)

“I am excited to see the Sequestration Prevention Act now being introduced in the House, and I appreciate Congressman Lamborn’s leadership on this.  Since introducing the bill in the Senate last month, it remains the sole solution to permanently and effectively avoid the across-the-board cuts of sequestration.

“Our nation has endured more than 41 months of unemployment at or above 8 percent. Yet the President is doing nothing to address the looming fiscal cliff when $500 billion in automatic tax hikes and $1.2 trillion in sequestration spending cuts go into effect at the start of next year. 

“The President has already managed to secure $487 billion in defense cuts, and by refusing to address sequestration, we’re facing another $500 billion. These devastating cuts would result in the smallest ground fleet since 1940, the smallest fleet of ships since 1915, and the smallest tactical fighter force in the history of the Air Force. Our approach through this legislation will reverse the President’s devastating policies and ensure a strong national defense truly capable of handling the threats we face.”  U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.)

For a section-by-section break down of H.R. 6389, click here.

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