House budget seeks ObamaCare repeal, defense spending increase

WASHINGTON, March 17 (UPI) -- The Republican-controlled House of Representatives introduced a budget on Tuesday that seeks to repeal ObamaCare, maintain sequestration and increase defense spending.

House Budget Committee Chairman Tom Price, R-Ga., unveiled his $3.8 trillion budget that would repeal the Affordable Care Act, also known as ObamaCare, "in its entirety." A Medicare voucher-like premium support model for seniors would begin in 2024, where beneficiaries would received subsidies to purchase health insurance on the private market.

According to Republican leadership, the plans would balance the federal budget by cutting $5.5 trillion in spending over 10 years.

The budget would maintain sequestration, or automatic spending limits, on domestic and defense spending, but would indirectly increase defense spending by using war funds to get around current budget caps. The Budget Control Act, written by Congress, exempts "overseas contingency operations" from spending limits.

"It is a plan that balances the budget in less than 10 years, secures and strengthens vital programs – like Medicare – provides our military men and women with the resources they need to protect American families, and would make Washington more efficient, effective and accountable to hard-working taxpayers," Chairman Tom Price said in a statement.

The Republican House budget would increase President Obama's $58 billion proposal for overseas contingencies to $94 billion. Total defense spending in the Republican budget proposal would be $613 billion; $52 billion higher than Obama's proposal of $561 billion.

The budget could lose support in the Senate, where several Republicans, including Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said that they will not support a budget that keeps sequestration cuts.

McCain called the use of war spending to fund the Pentagon a "gimmick."