Job training, building upgrades, EPA see biggest cuts in first Republican proposal

While Republican leaders promised to pursue even bigger federal budget cuts on Thursday, an initial proposal from Wednesday shows job training programs, a fund to upgrade federal buildings and the Environmental Protection Agency will see some of the biggest reductions.

Republicans in the House are finalizing their proposal for even deeper cuts for the remainder of the 2011 Obama budget proposal. Full details of a formal proposal to fund the government until September 30 will be made in a bill set to be introduced at a later date.

On Thursday, Rep. Hal Rogers, R-KY, the head of the House Appropriations Committee said his group would propose $100 billion in cuts to what remains of the 2011 fiscal year's budget.

The previous, $74 billion proposal made on Wednesday was scrapped after Rogers met with his subcommittee chairs, he said on Thursday.

However even the revised cuts fall short a proposal made on Monday by Sen. Rand Paul, R-KY to make $500 billion in cuts, compared the 2008 levels.

The top five cuts, among a partial list of 70 released on Wednesday were: $2 billion for Job Training Programs, $1.7 billion for the GSA Federal Buildings Fund, $1.6 billion for the EPA, $1.4 billion for the DOE Loan Guarantee Authority, and $1.3 billion for Community Health Centers.

We have determined that the (continuing resolution) can and will reach a total of $100 billion in cuts compared to the president's request immediately -- fully meeting the goal outlined in the Republican 'Pledge to America' in one fell swoop, Rogers said in a statement on Tuesday.

Democrats on the committee had concerns about what the proposals would mean for the average Americans, whether job-growth was the top priority, and whether the cuts would help the U.S. be competitive in the international marketplace, the top Democratic lawmaker said.

[We] must not embrace a 1-dimensional plan that makes for a good press release at the expense of vital investments in the long-term health of the nation, said Rep. Norm dicks, D-WA.

The 70 cuts unveiled would fund the federal government for the remainder of the 2011 fiscal year, which ends on September 30.

Rogers had previously characterized his initial proposal as the largest reduction in discretionary spending in the history of our nation.

Among the items which were left untouched were military spending related to the ongoing missions in Afghanistan and Iraq.

In 2009, Congress approved a $700 billion package of tax cuts and additional spending meant to get the economy moving after the financial crisis.