Boehner Says No War Savings For Democrats' Jobs Plan

By Lisa Kellman

A week before the supercommittee is due to present a plan cutting $1.2 trillion from the national deficit, House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio.) declared that the money saved from winding down the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan should not be spent on the Democrat’s $300 billion jobs plan proposed last week.

According to Boehner, the savings “should be banked, should not be used to offset other spending.”

The speaker addressed these concerns during a press conference to present the “American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Plan.” The plan is aimed at spurring job growth by increasing energy production and using the revenue to improve the nation’s infrastructure.

However, the most pressing concern now, Boehner said, is getting a plan to lower the deficit.

“You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink” said Boehner when explaining why, a week before its Thanksgiving deadline, there is still no final plan on how to cut the nation’s deficit by $1.2 trillion. 

“Our debt crossed the $15 trillion number yesterday. That’d be a giant wakeup call to the congress that its time to rip the band-aid off and do what needs to be done,” declared Boehner.

Unless the Democrats and the Republicans in the congressional supercommittee charged with lowering the deficit by November 23 can agree on a plan, $1.2 trillion across the board will be automatically cut.

The House Speaker would not comment on whether or not he and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) would work together before next week to manufacture an agreement. Although, he stated he would continue to work on solving the problem.