Government Reform

When Congressman Pat Tiberi first campaigned for Congress he wanted to make government more accountable to citizens and it’s something he’s been working for ever since. Congressman Tiberi is a commonsense leader who believes government should be streamlined and more fiscally responsible. He believes people can better spend their money than bureaucrats in Washington, D.C., therefore he works to lower taxes and balance the budget. He advocates cost-saving measures for the federal government, works to eliminate waste, fraud and abuse, and consistently supports legislation to reduce the tax-burden on hardworking families.

Supporting an Accountable Government

Congressman Tiberi believes a light should be shown on the federal earmark process in order to make the government more accountable. During the beginning of the 110^th Congress, he supported proposed reforms to make earmarks more transparent.

• Line Item Veto. The president, when he signs a bill into law, should have the ability to rid congressional bills of unrelated and frivolous spending tucked away in larger bills. That’s why Congressman Tiberi supports giving the president line-item veto authority.

“The line item veto will be an effective tool in bringing greater transparency, accountability and fiscal discipline to Congress. It will help change the culture in Washington from one that is institutionally biased toward spending to one that looks for every chance to save.” -- Congressman. Tiberi

• Balanced Budget Amendment. In order to encourage restrained spending, Congressman Tiberi has cosponsored an amendment to the U.S. Constitution requiring a balanced federal Budget. Currently, Congressman Tiberi is a cosponsor of H.J. Res 1, a bill that proposes a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution. The bill is in front of the House Judiciary Committee for consideration.

Responsible Entitlement Reform

• Securing Longevity of Entitlements. Currently, entitlements, government funded benefits like social security, Medicare and Medicaid, account for more than half of the federal budget. If left unchecked, by 2040, entitlement funding will cost the amount of the current federal budget. Congressman Tiberi believes it is necessary to have a serious national discussion about reforming our entitlement system, so the promise of these benefits is secured for future generation. To that end, Congressman Tiberi is an original cosponsor of H.R.473, Securing America's Future Economy Commission (SAFE) Act. The measure would establish a commission to develop legislation to reform entitlement programs and ensure a sound fiscal future for the United States, and for other purposes.

Streamlining Government Agencies

• Unchecked Check-writing. During his first year in Congress, Congressman Tiberi was appointed to be the Vice-Chairman of the Education Oversight Subcommittee that provided oversight of financial institutions related to the Department of Education. Congressman Tiberi and Chairman Peter Hoekstra (R-MI) learned that Department of Education employees could use government credit cards and write checks using public funds for private purposes. They worked with-then Secretary of Education Roderick Paige to halt the practice. The Department of Education has since received a clean audit.

Encouraging Government Spending Transparency

• Searchable Database. Congressman Tiberi supports the idea of spending transparency and accountability by creating a single updated, searchable database website that includes a comprehensive assessment of each entity receiving federal funding. Because of efforts by Congressman Tiberi and other Congressional Republicans, the Office of Management and Budget is in the process of developing a database easily available to the public.