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McKeon and Inhofe on President's Expected Proposal WASHINGTON— Rep. Howard P. "Buck" McKeon (R-CA), Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, and Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK), Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, commented today on the President's expected proposal to replace the sequester. "We welcome President Obama to the table, perhaps better late than never. We are, however, concerned that his proposal will include the same mix of tax increases and defense cuts that Democrats have advocated for in the past. We must be clear. This approach is neither responsible nor balanced. "America's military has absorbed $487 billion in defense cuts under President Obama, with $500 billion yet to come with sequestration. Refusing to consider reforms to the mandatory spending that is driving our debt crisis, while using our troops as a piggy bank to keep unsustainable spending programs on life support, will have both fiscal and strategic consequences. We urge the President to lead, rather than loop endlessly around a beaten path. It is in his power to forge a deal that reigns in our debt without levying more taxes on struggling Americans, and without hollowing out an at-war military. "We hope that the President will present a serious proposal today, one that does not force the military into sequestration. We will continue working as well, making every effort to resolve a crisis that could do unprecedented harm to our military."