Cantor: Budget Cuts May Go Beyond 2008 Levels

Republicans are clearly serious about keeping their promise to cut government spending back to 2008 levels. Indeed, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor suggested during a conversation on the House floor Thursday that the GOP could reduce outlays back to at least 2007 levels, The Hill reports.

“In a discussion that should preview spending fights in the House next week, Cantor told House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, D-Md., that spending levels could be set below 2008 levels,” the news service states. 

“Hoyer asked Cantor to explain H.R. 38, which is expected to come up next week and gives Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, R-Wis., authority to set discretionary, non-security related spending at 2008 levels or lower. … Cantor acknowledged that ‘we could even find ourselves below 2008 levels.’”