Budget Chair Black presents plan for $203B in federal spending cuts

House Budget Chairwoman Diane Black presented her proposal for cutting the federal budget today, contending that her blueprint, unlike past budget documents, would serve more than a messaging purpose, reports Politico.

“Today, we are introducing not just a vision for our country, but a plan for action,” Black wrote in a statement. “With a Republican Congress and a Republican administration, now is the time to put forward a governing document with real solutions to address our biggest challenges.”

The ambitious plan calls for $203 billion in mandatory cuts, which would mark the largest amount of deficit reduction through the budget process in two decades. And forcing Republicans to combine their already-complex push for tax reform with massive funding reductions would be a risky maneuver.

Some GOP lawmakers have already said they are worried about the potential political attacks if they’re seen as cutting programs like Temporary Assistance for Needy Families to pay for billions in tax breaks.

The House Budget Committee is expected to approve the proposal Wednesday, though it remains unclear whether the plan would garner enough support to pass on the House floor.

The idea of mandatory spending cuts has already created tension within the fractious GOP conference. Nearly three dozen GOP centrists have balked at the idea of missing the chance for tax reform, while hard-line fiscal hawks have demanded even steeper reductions.

Note: The referenced Black statement appears as an op-ed piece in USA Today.