Hoyer accuses GOP of 'enthusiastically' welcoming sequester

House Minority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) accused Republicans of "enthusiastically" welcoming the coming sequester cuts to federal spending, and said it now appears that the GOP will do nothing to avoid the $85 billion in cuts next month.

"In fact, the Republican leadership of this House has not put a single bill on the floor, in this Congress, that would have any impact on avoiding the sequester," Hoyer said on the House floor Wednesday.

"Instead of preventing it, Republicans appear willing and enthusiastically welcoming the sequester," he added. "Every American ought to take note of that enthusiasm for an irrational policy, referred to as irrational by its own leader, Mr. Cantor, who said it was not the way we ought to do business."

Hoyer cited an interview given Tuesday by Rep. Mike Pompeo (R-Kan.) in which Pompeo said the sequester is "going to be a home run. We're doing what the American people asked the United States House of Representatives to do in 2010 when I came here."

"A profound disagreement," Hoyer said. "I think the gentleman from Kansas is profoundly wrong."

Hoyer cited reports saying Republicans are preparing budgets for fiscal year 2014 that take into account sequester cuts to defense and non-defense discretionary spending, and reports that Republicans may be looking to shift cuts around to avoid reductions to defense spending.

"By injecting additional partisanship in this way, Republicans would be taking a further step away from compromise," Hoyer said.

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