WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Ander Crenshaw supported taxpayers’ calls to cut wasteful government spending with a vote to prohibit the hiring of IRS agents to enforce the nation’s new health care law and save the country $15 billion. The fifth in a series of votes under the Republican Whip organization’s project YouCut, Thursday’s vote (6/24) in combination with four previous YouCut votes total $64.5 billion in spending cuts. A majority of House Democrats have defeated all five measures.
Crenshaw, a Republican Deputy Whip and member of the Whip’s Economic Recovery Working Group, which developed YouCut’s innovative approach to cutting spending, issued the following statement:
“The American people are demanding for Washington to control wasteful spending and through YouCut, I have tried to change the “spend, spend, spend” mentality in Congress. The best way to revive our economy and create jobs is to reduce government spending. Today, I cast my vote to cut $15 billion in wasteful government spending – cuts that citizens have called for. Unfortunately, a majority of Democrats voted against this proposal and each and every previous attempt to rein in Washington’s reckless spending spree.
“To date, more than a million Americans have accessed the YouCut web site to vote for their favorite federal spending cut. These are folks who understand the value of living within their means and expect Congress to make the same tough budget decisions they make each and every day.
“They don’t believe we should spend $2.5 billion on duplicative welfare programs or $2 billion on a federal employee pay raise. They also believe Congress should reform Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to the tune of $30 billion in savings; sell excess federal property for $15 billion in savings; and eliminate funding for the hiring of IRS worker to enforce a health care bill Americans don’t want. I know it seems like an uphill battle, but with such tremendous support from Florida and all across the country, together we will be successful in promoting a culture of fiscal responsibility in Washington.
“This week, we’ve posted five more spending cut options - more real dollar savings. $34 million from the consolidation and reduction of federal advisory committees; $183 million for the termination of duplicative federal bicycle and walking programs; $266 million for the suspension of federal land purchases; more than a billion from the collection of unpaid taxes from federal employees; and $120 million from taxpayer subsidized union activities.
“I thank everyone who has voted in this program and encourage all citizens to join the fight to cut wasteful government spending.”
Citizens can access the project YouCut website and vote for their favorite spending cut at http://republicanwhip.house.gov/YouCut. They can also make their own suggestion for a spending cut on the site. Each week Congress will vote on the cut that receives the most votes.
House Democrats have defeated the following proposed spending cuts on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives:
• Week one: $2.5 billion – Eliminate duplicative welfare program.
• Week two: $2 billion - Eliminate federal employee pay raise.
• Week three: $30 billion - Reform Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
• Week four: $15 billion - Sell excess federal property.
• Week five: $15 billion - Prohibit hiring new IRS agents to enforce health care law.
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