A Sign of Sanity: Hastert Says Across-the-Board Cut Idea is Dead

Background is here.

In a nutshell: The Senate, faced with a hard spending limit of $94 billion for the Iraq War effort and Katrina relief, but with an unexplained desire to lard on $15 billion of additional pork, was thinking about cutting all three items (war, Katrina, and pork) by the same percentage to stay within the spending limit, outrageously shortchanging our troops and Katrina victims.

The Heritage Foundation Blog carries the text of House Speaker Dennis Hastert’s announcement that essentially says “no bleeping way” (I believe the Speaker means $94 bil where $92 is mentioned):

Speaker Hastert: Senate Call for an Across-the-Board Cut to Pay for Bloated Supplemental Won’t Get Heard in the House

(Washington, D.C.) Speaker of the House J. Dennis Hastert (R-IL) today made the following statement regarding Senate attempts to use an across-the-board cut to make room for additional spending it included in its $109 billion emergency supplemental bill. The Senate passed its bill, which is more than $15 billion over the President’s $92 billion budget request, earlier this month.

“Any calls from the Senate for an across-the-board cut to make room for a bloated supplemental will be met by a busy signal in the House. The House will not join a shell-game spending spree with taxpayer dollars. President Bush requested $92 billion for the War on Terror and Hurricane Katrina relief spending. The House has passed a bill that exercised fiscal restraint. The Senate needs to throw overboard, unnecessary add-ons and help us get the needed funds to our troops in the field and our fellow citizens suffering the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.”

Bam.