GOP lawmaker proposes busting firewall for federal spending

A GOP lawmaker is introducing legislation that would break down the firewall between spending for defense and non-defense domestic programs.

Rep. Reid Ribble (R-Wis.) proposed the “Power of the Purse Act” to allow Congress to move funding around in a more flexible way.

The bill proposes to keep the total discretionary spending caps for fiscal years 2016 through 2021.

For example, for the next fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1, the bill would keep the roughly $1.017 trillion spending cap but get rid of the $523 billion limit for the Pentagon and $493 billion limit for domestic programs.

{mosads}“By removing the arbitrary firewall that exists under the sequestration budget caps between defense and non-defense discretionary spending, we restore that control to Congress,” Ribble said in a statement.

“While it is crucial that we continue to work to rein in federal spending and cut our deficits, the people’s elected representatives must have the power to direct spending where it is needed most.”

Key Republicans have floated the idea of eliminating the firewall as a way to boost defense spending at the expense of non-defense programs.

The GOP, however, is relying for now on a Pentagon war fund in their proposals to bolster military spending next year.

Obama administration officials have remained adamant that the firewall between the two funding sides must remain in place. They’ve also reiterated that President Obama would only accept equal increases to both sides.

In his budget request, Obama asked Congress to increase non-defense programs by $37 billion and defense by $38 billion next year.