Lawmaker proposes language blocking government spending on Obama golf trips

Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) on Tuesday filed an amendment to the 2013 continuing spending resolution that would prevent the government from spending any money to take President Obama to or from a golf course.

The language is a reaction to the White House announcement earlier in the day that White House tours would be canceled because of the sequester. Under Gohmert's amendment, Obama could not travel on the taxpayer's dime to or from a golf course until those tours resume.

On the House floor, Gohmert cited press reports saying that 341 federal workers could have been spared furloughs under the sequester had Obama not gone on his recent golf outing, where he played a round with Tiger Woods.

He said he filed his amendment because there are "so many people" who come to Washington and expect to be able to tour the White House. Gohmert's amendment reads:

"None of the funds made available by a division of this act may be used to transport the President to or from a golf course until public tours of the White House tours resume."

The House will start work on the 2013 continuing resolution, H.R. 933, on Wednesday. The bill provides $982 billion in government funding for the rest of the fiscal year.

From that total, the Obama administration is expected to cut $85 billion in spending in order to meet the legal requirement of the sequester, which officially took effect on Friday.

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