Boehner +1

Washington (CNN) — House Speaker John Boehner said Tuesday if some federal workers lose jobs because of Republican-proposed spending cuts, “so be it.” But House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi was quick to say “not so be it.”

“Over the last two years since President Obama has taken office, the federal government has added 200,000 new federal jobs and if some of those jobs are lost in this, so be it,” Boehner said during a news conference with reporters at the Republican National Committee. “We’re broke! It’s time for us to get serious about how we’re spending the nation’s money.”

Boehner, who was joined by other House Republican leaders, criticized the President’s budget proposal for not cutting enough and said Republicans would address entitlement reform when they release their budget blueprint this spring.

“Republicans will not punt,” said Boehner. “Everything’s on the table. We will put forward a budget that deals with the big challenges that face our country . . . I have no doubts that all of these issues [Social Security and Medicare] will be on the table.”