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“Just confirmed by the non-partisan @USCBO… This will be the LARGEST SPENDING CUT that Congress has ever voted for in history. $2.13 Trillion!”

That was House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) in a May 30 Twitter post pointing to a newly generated Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimate of the Fiscal Responsibility Act legislation that increases the debt ceiling through 2024 and imposes spending caps currently being considered by Congress.
But is he correct? Are these the largest spending cuts in history?
One way to compare is as a percent of budget how it stacks up to the 2011 Budget Control Act, the previous largest spending caps ever imposed. At the time of passage, the Budget Control Act was projected by the CBO to reduce the deficit by $917 billion from 2012-2022: $741 billion from the discretionary spending caps or sequestration, $20 billion from reductions to mandatory spending and $156 billion as a result of less interest payments owed thanks to cutting spending.
The legislation also contemplated a further $1.2 trillion of cuts that would have been undertaken by a Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, but as these were non-binding on the committee and their recommendations non-binding on future Congresses, for the purposes of this analysis, these will be discounted.
By comparison, the 2023 Fiscal Responsibility Act imposes spending caps totaling a bit more than $1.5 trillion: $1.3 trillion by similar discretionary spending caps, $11 billion for rescissions and $188 billion for interest saved thanks to the cuts, according to CBO.
The 2023 legislation also contemplates, as did the Budget Control Act, future reductions to baseline discretionary spending for 2026 to 2029, totaling $552 billion of reductions to outlays, but as these are prospective and have not been implemented, and so for the purposes of this analysis, they will also be discounted.
So, on a nominal basis, the $1.5 trillion of spending caps in the 2023 bill is larger than the $917 billion in the 2011 bill. But what about as a percentage of discretionary spending, excluding mandatory spending like Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and so forth, and then as a percentage of the total budget, including mandatory spending?
At the time of passage of the 2011 Budget Control Act, discretionary spending outlays were projected to total almost $14.5 trillion from 2012 to 2021, making the $917 billion of discretionary spending caps and mandatory spending reductions about 6.3 percent of discretionary spending.
As for the 2023 Fiscal Responsibility Act, the $1.5 trillion of spending caps comparatively accounts for 7.2 percent of the projected discretionary spending of $21.2547 trillion from 2024 to 2033. So, objectively, the 2023 cuts are larger than the 2011 cuts as a percent of discretionary spending at the time of passage, apples to apples, discounting future promised cuts in both pieces of legislation that were contemplated.
But what about when Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and other mandatory spending set forth by statute based on individual qualification for benefits are included in the analysis?
Here, the 2011 Budget Control Act’s $917 billion of spending caps out of $47.3 trillion of then-expected outlays projected by the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) from 2012 to 2021 come in at 1.93 percent of the total budget.
And the 2023 Fiscal Responsibility Act’s $1.5 trillion of spending caps out of the now-expected $80.39 trillion of outlays by OMB, or 1.88 percent of the total budget.
So, even though the 2023 bill cuts more both nominally and as a percentage of discretionary spending than 2011, it cuts slightly less when taken as a percentage of the total budget. Therefore, the 2011 Budget Control Act actually cut slightly more out of the total budget than does the 2023 legislation.
The largest reason for that is that mandatory spending including Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and so forth is set to take on an ever larger portion of total federal spending, with Social Security and Medicare being the largest current drivers as the Baby Boomer retirement wave continues en masse.
Whereas, in 2011, mandatory spending plus interest accounted for $2.38 trillion out of $3.77 trillion, or 63.1 percent of total spending.
In 2023, mandatory spending plus interest, $4.6 trillion out of $6.37 trillion, constitutes 72.7 percent of total spending.
And by 2033, mandatory spending plus interest, $7.75 trillion out of $9.95 trillion, will constitute a whopping 77.9 percent of total spending as the national debt is expected to swell from $31.4 trillion to today to a gargantuan $50.7 trillion by 2033. The Fiscal Responsibility Act appears that it would reduce the debt by 2033 to about $49.2 trillion instead of $50.7 trillion, barely scratching the surface. Maybe it buys a year? A few months?
Meaning, every decade that goes by, there is less and less that can be accomplished by Congress using discretionary spending caps alone. So, yes, the Fiscal Responsibility Act is considering some of the largest budget cuts in history by certain standards, but as a percentage of total spending, is no better than the 2011 Budget Control Act, which is to say it likely does not go far enough, showing that neglecting the mandatory spending side of the ledger and kicking the can down the road has made balancing the budget practically impossible — and continues to exact a mounting toll on U.S. taxpayers and creditors.

Robert Romano is the Vice President of Public Policy at Americans for Limited Government Foundation.

Kaplan High junior shortstop Kennedy Marceaux had an incredible season this spring to help the Lady Pirates win their first state softball championship since 2016.
Marceaux, who committed in September to sign with the University of Alabama softball program, batted .655, bashed 22 home runs and drove in an incredible 72 runs. As the Lady Pirates’ leadoff hitter.
She stayed hot in the playoffs, hitting a home run and a double in her first two at-bats in the Non-Select Division III championship game in Sulphur before being intentionally walked the two times she went up to hit, earning Marceaux the game’s Most Outstanding Player honors.
But it isn’t just the production on the field that makes Marceaux special, Kaplan head coach Brittany LeBeouf said.
“She’s not the type of player that’s worried about her stats,” LeBeouf said. “She’s worried about what’s best for the team, and how the team can win, and whatever she can do to help the team win, she’s willing to do. She’s a great teammate.”
That attitude and her play on the field earned Marceaux another postseason honor as well. For the third straight year, Marceaux has been chosen as the Most Valuable Player on the All-Vermilion Parish Softball Team as chosen by The Abbeville Meridional.
“She had a phenomenal year, and she’s going to continue to get better,” LeBeouf said. “Next year should be fun to watch. The work has started now for our new team to do it again. We realize it’s not going to be an easy task, and everybody has to get better, so that’s what we’re focusing on now.”
LeBeouf has been named the Coach of the Year for the All-Vermilion Parish team. LeBeouf had pitched in the state tournament for the Lady Pirates while in high school, then was an assistant for current KHS principal Shay Herpin, who also coached her in high school, when Kaplan won the state championship in 2016. The coach said the championship is a source of pride for the town, which always supports the team.
“I think we have the best fan base in the state,” LeBeouf said. “We had probably 2,000 people in Sulphur. Every time we do a fundraiser, they support us. Any time we ask for something, we get it. Kaplan loves their softball, and I couldn’t ask for a better community base. Not all softball schools have what we have. We’re just lucky that our community supports the softball team.”
But this season didn’t start with such high aspirations. LeBeouf said her goal with the group was to try to get to Sulphur for the state tournament for the first time since 2018.
“Obviously our goal is to win a state championship, but we hadn’t been to Sulphur in so long that we just wanted to make it there, and then we would see what would happen,” LeBeouf said. “Towards the end of the season, nothing fazed this team. They were very mentally tough, and whenever we gave them a task, they did it. There was no playing around.
“I think that’s what made them special. They didn’t let the moment get too big, and did whatever was asked, and they came out on top.”
Kaplan finished the year 27-8.
Marceaux is joined by several of her teammates on the All-Parish team, including pitcher Briley LeBeouf, who earned the win in the state title game and went 23-6 on the year with 137 strikeouts and hit .442 with five home runs and 33 RBIs; first baseman Abbigale Ford, who batted .353 with two homers and 29 RBIs; third baseman London Greene, who hit .280 with two homers and seven RBIs; outfielder Noble Hebert, who hit .430 with 12 home runs and 48 RBIs; outfielder Haylie Robinson, a defensive star and slap hitter who hit .220 with nine RBIs; and utility picks Addyson Hebert (.280, 3 HR, 21 RBIs) and Jessa Lopez (.351, 19 RBIs). All were first-team All-District 5-3A selections after Kaplan won the district title.
“It was a team effort,” LeBeouf said of the state championship run. “I would even credit the kids who couldn’t come in the dugout because they only let you take 24 kids in the dugout in Sulphur. We had probably 12 kids outside cheering their teammates on. They were there every single day for practice and getting our older kids better and ready to play.
“It was a total team effort. We preach to our kids, do your role and every role is important. With this group, I think everybody realized that every role is important, and when they understood their role, they completed it.”
Erath, which reached the second round of the non-select Division II playoffs, earned five spots on the All-Parish team — pitcher Alyssa Boutte, catcher Madyson Vallot, second baseman Ellie Goutierrez, and utility players Bailey Smith and Kiersten Perro.
Pitcher Ashton Duhon and utility selections Kennedy Kelly and Madie Broussard of North Vermilion earned All-Parish honors, as did outfielder Kaylee Schaubert of Delcambre and utility players Macie Soucy of Abbeville and Ali Broussard of Vermilion Catholic.

2023 All-Vermilion Parish Softball Team

MVP — Kennedy Marceaux, Kaplan
COY — Brittany LeBeouf, Kaplan

P — Briley LeBeouf, Kaplan Jr.
P — Alyssa Boutte, Erath Sr.
P — Ashton Duhon, North Vermilion Sr.
C — Madyson Vallot, Erath So.
1B — Abbigale Ford, Kaplan So.
2B — Ellie Goutierrez, Erath Jr.
3B — London Greene, Kaplan Jr.
SS — Kennedy Marceaux, Kaplan Jr.
OF — Noble Hebert, Kaplan Sr.
OF — Haylie Robinson, Kaplan Jr.
OF — Kaylee Schaubert, Delcambre So.
UT — Bailey Smith, Erath Sr.
UT — Addyson Hebert, Kaplan So.
UT — Jessa Lopez, Kaplan Jr.
UT — Kiersten Perro, Erath Jr.
UT — Kennedy Kelly, North Vermilion Sr.
UT — Madie Broussard, North Vermilion Sr.
UT — Macie Soucy, Abbeville Jr.
UT — Ali Broussard, Vermilion Catholic Fr.

McNeese State University conferred degrees on 703 graduates during two ceremonies for the university’s 160th commencement on Friday, May 12, in McNeese’s Legacy Center.
The ceremony for the colleges of agricultural sciences, liberal arts and science, engineering and mathematics were held at 9 a.m. and for the Burton College of Education and colleges of business and nursing and health professions at 1:30 p.m.

Graduates from Vermilion Parish

ABBEVILLE

Ronnie D. Cormier, Master of Science in Health and Human Performance

Haley E. Zenon, Bachelor of Science in Management

DELCAMBRE

Heather Renee Moreaux, Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice

GUEYDAN:

Rebekah Marie Lepretre, Bachelor of Science in Natural Resource Conservation Management

KAPLAN:
Lauryn A. Fulkerson, Bachelor of Science in Radiologic Sciences

Heather Renee Lege Mayard, Master of Science in Nursing

Valetia Vincent Mire, Bachelor of Science in Psychology

Vanessa Roberts, Bachelor of Science in Nursing

Grace K. Roussel, Associate of General Studies
Olivia R. Terro, Associate of General Studies

At the request of the Abbeville Garden Club, Mayor Roslyn White signed a proclamation designating June 4 - 10, 2023, as National Garden Week in the City of Abbeville. Sponsored by National Garden Clubs, Inc., this is a special week designed to focus public attention on the programs, projects, and activities promoted by garden clubs.
In recognition of National Garden Week, the Abbeville Garden Club will sponsor an informational booth at the Daylily Festival featuring Louisiana Super Plants: plants designated by the LSU Ag Center as being proven performers for our area. AGC and Keep Abbeville Beautiful will also sponsor a children’s activity booth featuring art projects centered on birds and other pollinators.
AGC will host the Daylily Festival educational programs at the Abbeville Cultural Center. Judge Edwards, Master Naturalist and Abbeville Garden Club member, will present “Blue Birds in Vermilion Parish”. Maddox Miller, LSU Ag Agent and Horticulturist for Vermilion, Lafayette, and Acadia Parishes, will present “Tropical plants for the Home”.
The Daylily Festival is presented by Abbeville Main Street and Vermilion Chamber of Commerce. Sponsors include the Abbeville Garden Club and Gulf Coast Bank.
Abbeville Garden Club is a member of National Garden Clubs, Inc., Deep South Garden Clubs, Inc., and Louisiana Garden Club Federation, Inc., District III.