A total of 141 Republican lawmakers have banded together and delivered a letter to Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) arguing for a vote that they hoped would repeal budget caps on defense spending which were imposed during the 2011 sequester. The letter was organized by Rep. Mike Turner, a Republican from Ohio, who has been circulating the letter to garner more signatures since early January.
The letter in part stated that it is “clear there is now broad ranging support in both the executive and legislative branches of government for the immediate repeal of defense sequestration. As President Trump begins to prepare his budget request for the fiscal year 2018, it is imperative that we provide him with the ability to fully fund national defense.”
Turner also said in a statement Wednesday that the sequestration of national defense “is a senseless budget tactic that continues to threaten the readiness of our military and our national security. An overwhelming 141 Members of Congress, meaning the majority of the House of Representatives GOP Conference, support the repeal of defense sequestration to ensure our country’s safety.”
While Defense hawks have historically complained about the caps, fiscal conservatives have been more supportive, saying that they help control runaway spending.
President Donald Trump promised during his presidential campaign to repeal the caps immediately.
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