Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., argued on Fox News Sunday that spending cuts have reached their limit.
Durbin said that lawmakers cannot afford the deep cuts in education, research and development, and infrastructure proposed by House Republicans.
“If you want the bragging rights for cutting out of education, the Republicans can have that,” Durbin said in a testy exchange with host Chris Wallace.
Durbin said the House Republican budget fails to deal with the underlying problems of the fiscal situation in America.
“You can't cut your way out of our crisis,” Durbin said. “You can't tax your way out of our crisis.”
But Rep. Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas, struck back, accusing Democrats of being unwilling to make enough cuts to rein in the nation's debt. Though he stuck closely to GOP talking points that champion debt and deficit reduction, Hensarling highlighted House Republicans’ power to advance their agenda by acting as a roadblock.
“Republicans only control one of three levers of lawmaking,” Hensarling said. “There's one thing that's not negotiable: We will not pass bills that do not pass savings for the American people, create confidence for job creators.”
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