Despite opposition from Democrats, legislation passed the House on May 10, after passing committee consideration on May 7, altering Congress’s agreement on sequestration. This legislation protects defense programs from sequestration’s January 2013 cuts while shifting more of these cuts onto safety net programs, including the food and nutrition programs, child welfare services and the SCHIP, the State Children’s Health Insurance Program.

The House Committee on the Budget approved a budget reconciliation measure on May 7 by a vote of 21 to 9. The measure incorporated savings recommended by six House Committees in order to meet the goals of the House-passed budget resolution (see Memo, 3/30). In the markup the Committee also approved the Sequester Replacement Act (H.R. 4966) that would halt the round of across-the-board cuts known as sequestration, scheduled to take effect in January 2013, by a vote of 21-13 (see Memo, 1/6).

After approving H.R. 4966, the Committee began debate on four “motions to proceed” offered by Committee Democrats that would allow for amendments that would undo cuts to certain safety net programs, among other provisions,  prior to consideration of the measure the House floor. None of the motions to proceed were approved by the Committee.

While Representatives on both sides of the aisle expressed opposition to sequestration in the markup, Democrats on the Committee raised many concerns about the Republican measures under consideration that would cut programs that aid low income people while protecting funding for defense programs. Sequestration, as provided for in the Budget Control Act, called for cuts to be applied equally between defense and non-defense discretionary spending (see Memo, 1/6).

“The President’s budget, and the very similar Democratic alternative, includes specific, balanced approaches to deficit reduction. We do think that’s a better approach, by far, than the meat-ax approach that the sequester would impose. But we need to come together and develop that kind of balanced approach to getting it done,” said Budget Committee Ranking Member Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) in a statement.

On May 10, the full House of Representatives passed legislation (H.R. 5622) that combines the Sequester Replacement Act with savings that would be achieved through the Budget Committee-passed reconciliation bill. The Senate is not expected to approve the measure.

Click here for a summary of the votes taken during the markup.