News From The Hill

House passes bill demanding sequester details from Obama
By Pete Kasperowicz

The House approved legislation on Wednesday that would give the Obama administration 30 days to provide details on how it will deal with a required $109 billion cut to 2013 spending, which the administration must impose under last year's debt ceiling agreement.

The bill enjoyed broad support from both parties, and passed easily in a 414-2 vote. The two "no" votes came from Democrats: Reps. Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.) and Maurice Hinchey (D-N.Y.).

Under the sequester, the Office of Management and Budget must by Jan. 2 cut $109 billion from 2013 mandatory and discretionary spending accounts unless Congress provides a different plan.

Republicans have complained that the Obama administration has yet to indicate how it would make these cuts, which were required after the so-called "supercommittee" failed to reach an agreement on deficit reduction.