Washington, D.C. - This past week, I cast my vote in support of two bills that will save billions of dollars in taxpayer money each year. Both the IMPROVE Acquisition Act of 2010 and the Improper Payments and Elimination and Recovery Act of 2009 are designed to reduce wasteful government spending and restore fiscal responsibility. At a time when many American families struggle with their own budgets, they should be able to rest assured that the federal government is working to make sure that taxpayer dollars are being spent wisely and efficiently.
Supporting Our Troops in a Responsible Manner
The IMPROVE Acquisition Act of 2010, H.R. 5013, will reform the acquisition system within the Department of Defense to get our brave servicemen and women the equipment they need while saving over $135 billion in taxpayer dollars over the next five years. There is no question that our troops deserve the best support we can offer, while in uniform and throughout their lives. This bill will not compromise that principal, but will make sure that taxpayer dollars are not being spent in a wasteful or inefficient way.
Nearly one-fifth of our federal budget is spent on defense. More than half of the budget for the Department of Defense is directed towards services contracts. The legislation requires greater accountability in contracting and promotes more responsible financial management throughout the Department of Defense. The bill requires the Department’s financial management system to be auditable, allowing taxpayers to see how their dollars are being spent. This bill also strengthens the training received by military and non-military personnel and gives them greater opportunity to better their performance and produce stronger results. By cutting down on waste in the Department of Defense spending process, this bill creates commonsense reform that will allow our troops and military personnel to get the tools they need.
Promoting Good Governance
I was proud to see the Improper Payments and Elimination and Recovery Act of 2009, a key component of the Blue Dog Coalition’s Blue Print for Fiscal Reform and a bill I co-sponsored, pass the House unanimously. This bipartisan bill, H.R. 3393, will save an estimated $98 billion in taxpayer dollars that has been previously wasted on overpayments or careless accounting mistakes on the part of federal agencies. This bill is one piece of the puzzle to finally change the way Washington operates to bring fiscal responsibility and bipartisan cooperation back to the federal government.
###