Honda said he doesn’t subscribe to the theory that the government is too large, and his views on spending could lead to disputes with subcommittee Chairman Ander Crenshaw. The Florida Republican said on the House floor in January, “We’re going to stop this culture of spending that we’ve all gotten used to and say, ‘Let’s start a culture of saving.’”
Honda said the two don’t have a “deep relationship” but do know each other. Still, their fundamental disagreement on fiscal issues shouldn’t lead to nasty hearings, he said.
The subcommittee “has been one of the subcommittees that had the best working relationship between the parties. I look forward to that,” Honda said. “It’s going to be a personality thing. We’ll get to know each other and how we do things.”
Of course, with a 5-3 membership advantage on the subcommittee, Republicans can steamroll through any bill. But any GOP-favored bill will have to contend with the Democrat-controlled Senate.
Sen. Ben Nelson, who chairs the Legislative Branch Subcommittee of the Senate’s Appropriations Committee, said Monday that he’s already asking Congressional support agencies to look at where they can cut.
But he added, “You have to look very carefully at what you do so you don’t, in the whole name of cutting, destroy your operation.”
Rep. Bill Cassidy has his blood drawn by Alesha Barbour during a free hepatitis screening in the Rayburn House Office Building hosted by the Congressional Viral Hepatitis Caucus to recognize "National Viral Hepatitis Testing Day."
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