Blackburn presents legislation to cut spending

Rep. Marsha Blackburn

By Ripon Advance Reports  |  January 8, 2015 - Vowing to renew the fight to protect taxpayer funds, Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) presented three separate bills on Tuesday that each call for across-the-board cuts in government spending.

 

“Our nation is currently more than $18 trillion in debt,” Blackburn warned. “The time is now for Washington to start living within its means. It is not fair to hardworking taxpayers and future generations that Washington continues to spend money we don’t have for programs we don’t want or need. We must get back on a track to fiscal health.”

The legislation would require cuts of 1, 2 and 5 percent, respectively. The reductions would apply to discretionary spending. Defense, Homeland Security and Veterans Affairs spending would be exempt from the proposed cuts.

“As stewards of the taxpayer dollar, we have a duty to make responsible decisions with these funds,” Blackburn said. “Reducing spending by just 1 percent would save taxpayers approximately $4 billion in 2015.”  Blackburn said the majority of Americans support the spending cuts. “A Rasmussen poll conducted (in May 2014) revealed that 56 percent of Americans support across-the-board spending cuts,” Blackburn concluded. “This has been true for some time according to polling data. It is time we honor the wishes of the American people.”