WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Ander Crenshaw, Chairman of the Legislative Branch Appropriations Subcommittee, today (2/15) lauded the Fiscal Year 2011 Continuing Resolution (H.R. 1) in a House floor speech, saying the measure is a giant step forward in stopping the culture of spending in Washington.

H.R. 1 funds the federal government from March 4th through September 30th. The bill, introduced on February 11 by Appropriations Committee Chairman Hal Rogers (R-KY), cuts federal spending by $100 billion in Fiscal Year 2011 and remains under debate. The following is a transcript of Crenshaw’s speech which addresses Legislative Branch accounts in the Continuing Resolution:

“This is a giant step forward in stopping the culture of spending that has gone on here in this town for a long time and begins a culture of savings.

“In the subcommittee which I have been asked to chair, the Legislative Branch only deals with maybe one-half of one percent of all the money that we’re talking about, but we didn’t think that ought to be immune to all the pain that goes on as well. In fact, I think when times are tough, leaders ought to lead. And, so we can help save taxpayers’ dollars by spending less money on ourselves, and that’s what we do with this bill.

“We cut the accounts of the leadership offices. We cut the accounts of all the Members’ offices. We cut the accounts of the committee staff and their offices. In fact, the Appropriations Committee, which Mr. Rogers chairs, will reduce their spending by nine percent. So certainly, Congress is taking the budget axe to its own spending and leading by example, and I think that’s important.

“So as we move forward, Mr. Chairman, I think that we can do a whole lot more with a whole lot less around this place. We want to lead by example. That’s what we’re trying to do, and I think we are taking a giant step forward.”

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