Group urges Indiana delegation to cut $15 billion in spending by passing President Trump’s rescission package
On the heels of launching the first phase of its “Stop Our Spending” campaign to call attention to the dramatic over spending that takes place in Washington, Americans for Prosperity-Indiana (AFP-IN) is calling on Indiana’s House delegation to take the first step in reining in wasteful spending by cosponsoring the rescission package proposed by President Trump that would cancel $15 billion in unspent funds from previous years.
Currently, no U.S. Representative from Indiana’s delegation is a cosponsor of the rescission package, which was introduced as H.R. 3.
“When it comes to stopping wasteful Washington spending, almost all of Indiana’s congressional delegation can do better,” said AFP-IN State Director Justin Stevens. “The White House’s $15 billion rescission package is a modest but important first step in the right direction. If our lawmakers can’t even get themselves to cancel unspent funds from previous years then how can we trust them to come to grips with our $21 trillion debt? If the Hoosier delegation is truly committed to rein in spending, they can start by cosponsoring the White House rescission package and then vote for it.”
Background:
The “Stop Over Spending” campaign includes robust digital, direct-mail, print, and radio advertising in congressional districts across the country to thank or hold accountable members based on their vote on the $1.3 trillion omnibus spending package for fiscal year 2018. That omnibus pushed total federal spending over $4 trillion, or $33,000 per household.
AFP-IN called out Representative Pete Visclosky for his vote on the omnibus and urged them to support immediate measures to help restore taxpayer trust in Congress by focusing on cutting wasteful spending. Of Indiana’s entire federal congressional delegation, onlyReps. Todd Rokita and Trey Hollingsworth stood by taxpayers and voted against the wasteful spending omnibus package.
AFP strongly opposed the omnibus earlier this year, calling it a “reckless disregard for the burden that will be pushed onto future generations,” and supports efforts like rescission that would allow Congress to begin undoing some of the damage. President Trump has also expressed his disapproval with excessive spending in the omnibus bill and said at the bill signing, “I will never sign another bill like this again.”
While tax reform continues to benefit American workers and the overall economy, unchecked spending threatens to undermine that progress and drag the economy down.
The recent $1.3 trillion omnibus spending bill pushed total Washington spending above $4 trillion for the first time. Congress also failed to make any reforms to entitlement programs, which are the major drivers of the national debt. AFP has long-advocated the importance of pairing tax cuts with spending restraint to grow the economy and improve the lives of all Americans.
Fiscal year 2019 spending legislation, which will be considered later this year, will be the last chance for members of Congress to prove before the midterm elections that they can be trusted stewards of taxpayer dollars. AFP views the Fall spending debate as a critical test for lawmakers and will be engaging grassroots activists throughout the summer to hold both parties accountable for reckless spending and stress the importance of getting spending under control.
In recent weeks, AFP has fought major boondoggles like the 2018 Farm Bill and called on lawmakers to repeal some omnibus bill spending by supporting President Trump’s rescission plan
