Congressman Tom Price (R-GA) issued the following statement after the House of Representatives voted on this week’s YouCut proposal. The proposal – which received more than 87,000 votes on YouCut – would eliminate the upcoming pay increase for federal civilian employees, saving taxpayers $2 billion next year and $30 billion over the next decade.

“Having cast more than half a million votes on YouCut to reduce spending, Americans clearly want to see some fiscal responsibility in Washington,” said Congressman Price. “15.3 million Americans are out of a job, and many private sector workers were forced to take pay cuts in recent years while federal employees received significant increases. In fact, recent reports show compensation for government employees far outpacing that of private sector workers. Since every dollar paid out by the government must first be taken away from families and job-creators in the private sector, it is time Washington began to live within its means. By saving $30 billion over the next decade, this week’s YouCut winner would offer some needed relief from Washington’s reckless accumulation of debt.

“Government spending does not create wealth. Only the private sector can do that. Times are tough, and we all have to make sacrifices. Democrats have so far refused to pull back on their debt-fueled spending binge, but Republicans and the American people will continue to press this important issue.”