Following up on our conversation yesterday and my note about the NDAA, news from NDD United regarding an amendment from Sen. Cotton that would not repeal or lift the caps, but "removes the threat of an enforcement sequester should the caps be violated.” In other words, the caps would stay in place, but there would be no threat of sequester if they exceeded them. Without an enforcement mechanism, the caps would be pretty meaningless. There was chatter some months ago about the possibility that the administration might just ignore enforcement of the caps, and it sounds like this amendment would make that explicitly permissible. Speaking of NDD United, don’t miss this *outstanding* suitable-for-framing photo of me metaphorically lifting my NDD United “cap” in this tweet: https://twitter.com/edfunding/status/907665588813787139 Jeff > Begin forwarded message: > > > > > > > > > Good Afternoon NDD United, > > As you may have learned by now, Senator Tom Cotton has proposed an amendment <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Ye-MT8np5MCmOo_8-iGPWE8P5H3m_7Uz-K28AOevwrXXRlue6s4S8u_8lJ-78Y-tZZu3i7EyO9nCD1T6htEWBu6Y9EQopthhKJ0-IySMqnSwy59eem-ne2O22JM7VxAlb-HvKZ7cdINGrqdR1EPYSa3UrEc_HzhONkEQtD7WGof6ToTXJJq5dRavuLYZqBFEPJHJIm4dfQtk4IuSCNgZ4E750W62YNR1kunffDh-Ckyv0ZK7Ij7ohj2OS85Ixuy5&c=8P4AscjBQeeVv-y83ZuKo5DCDXAGiIF1m3oknN6YtnUTtWIR8mxVOw==&ch=HA_3-P1BplVrDjg6Hy66noFXzjalwf47DTl6g0jByxBkBx8MezM6YA==>to the National Defense Authorization Act that aims to eliminate sequestration. Upon closer examination, the language does not repeal the budget caps but rather removes the threat of an enforcement sequester should the caps be violated. As a result, it would remain unclear if there would be any relief from sequestration for NDD, while allowing Congress to realize their proposed increases for defense without consequence. Further, Cotton's amendment does not lift the sequester cuts on nondefense mandatory programs, violating parity. > > NDD United will be issuing the following statement on the amendment this afternoon: > > NDD United appreciates Senator Cotton's efforts to bring an end to sequestration. However, we remain concerned that the amendment, as written, does not eliminate or raise the dangerous budget caps set in the Budget Control Act of 2011 but rather the enforcement mechanism that maintains them. Without a deal to raise the caps, it remains unclear if Congress will provide the sorely needed increase to the nondefense budget, while allowing them to violate parity by increasing defense spending without consequence. NDD United stands ready to work with members of both parties on a bipartisan deal to raise the budget caps this Fall that maintains the parity principle set forth in the last two bipartisan budget acts and takes into consideration a decade of austerity that has eroded many nondefense discretionary programs and services. > > We encourage others to borrow from this language if they would like to issue their own statements. Attached here <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Ye-MT8np5MCmOo_8-iGPWE8P5H3m_7Uz-K28AOevwrXXRlue6s4S8u_8lJ-78Y-tqnEHXz7uRCDr2aQ8F6-WFkanQnNdx-Eq57IqWY74irUHh7t8tlVsL6TgFeRH82YejXGy7HzCMvaEkemCMreqTSlST6cqjlOycXeUaKbPAhvXeMZddYxJNqyTEQyt1wnnHG_4TKCco6-bs2PomCZhcfhoUyD6A-KdaTn96AAQiL3DCTJKfOr9aCNOs_Y42suD&c=8P4AscjBQeeVv-y83ZuKo5DCDXAGiIF1m3oknN6YtnUTtWIR8mxVOw==&ch=HA_3-P1BplVrDjg6Hy66noFXzjalwf47DTl6g0jByxBkBx8MezM6YA==> are some additional information and talking points that may be helpful from the Clean Budget Coalition. > > If you have questions, please reach out to me via email at tkaszuba@dc-crd.com <mailto:tkaszuba@dc-crd.com>. > > Best, > Tiffany > > > > Tiffany Kaszuba | NDD United | 202.484.1100 | t <mailto:eholubowich@dc-crd.com>kaszuba@dc-crd.com| www.nddunited.org <http://www.nddunited.org/> > STAY CONNECTED: > <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Ye-MT8np5MCmOo_8-iGPWE8P5H3m_7Uz-K28AOevwrXXRlue6s4S8loYAlraoyiV_0dDGNCczLCZPQ5qAQv-3SVsnaRkuMVmOBiFrvdamXg5_XfQClsxAG0Sc2g3BCKtN3_VohXQfODJek6zRQVmK2W95acJq2N1y8uwiA5R92y4BuJM30UoybnW_ntD20XTh4MLk4fQI2evbhXpyeboTQ==&c=8P4AscjBQeeVv-y83ZuKo5DCDXAGiIF1m3oknN6YtnUTtWIR8mxVOw==&ch=HA_3-P1BplVrDjg6Hy66noFXzjalwf47DTl6g0jByxBkBx8MezM6YA==> > <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Ye-MT8np5MCmOo_8-iGPWE8P5H3m_7Uz-K28AOevwrXXRlue6s4S8s93SJPtOKzXeFyLHEShFOuTzMO-T0Y0EIiBftkEUgMicL6OsZsxmjtF-MIbmLfOXAUCbksm6YNZarW4OzV0MzcFGDICyJDfdihgNZB6oLjfnXmZpGfdHmtZZSGmJcIpTg==&c=8P4AscjBQeeVv-y83ZuKo5DCDXAGiIF1m3oknN6YtnUTtWIR8mxVOw==&ch=HA_3-P1BplVrDjg6Hy66noFXzjalwf47DTl6g0jByxBkBx8MezM6YA==> > > > > NDD United, 600 Maryland Ave SW, Suiet 835W, Washington, DC 20024 > SafeUnsubscribe™ jeffcrtr@gmail.com <https://visitor.constantcontact.com/do?p=un&m=001MJ7vrQMLRvr9S92YgvNVeA%3D%3D&ch=a099e3f0-6656-11e7-8ede-d4ae528ec60a&ca=9ead217b-72de-4323-afc7-d4084691eee7> > Forward this email <http://ui.constantcontact.com/sa/fwtf.jsp?llr=gw4inspab&m=1116235660998&ea=jeffcrtr%40gmail.com&a=1128883255722> | Update Profile <https://visitor.constantcontact.com/do?p=oo&m=001MJ7vrQMLRvr9S92YgvNVeA%3D%3D&ch=a099e3f0-6656-11e7-8ede-d4ae528ec60a&ca=9ead217b-72de-4323-afc7-d4084691eee7> | About our service provider <http://www.constantcontact.com/legal/service-provider?cc=about-service-provider> > Sent by tkaszuba@dc-crd.com <mailto:tkaszuba@dc-crd.com> in collaboration with > <http://www.constantcontact.com/index.jsp?cc=PT1128> > Try it free today <http://www.constantcontact.com/index.jsp?cc=PT1128>