Chairman Rogers' Statement on the House Offices Budget Cuts
Washington, Jan 6 -
House Appropriations Chairman Hal Rogers today gave the following floor statement on a resolution that would cut the office budgets of Members of Congress, committees, and leadership in the House by 5%. Chairman Rogers directed the cuts to his committee to go even further, cutting his own committee budget by 9%.
Floor Statement by Chairman Rogers (as prepared for delivery):
 | “Mr. Speaker, “This is a historic time for the Congress, this House, and my committee. I can say without a moment’s hesitation that this day represents a crucial turning point for our nation as this new Congress begins a path to fiscal sanity. “With this resolution today, Congress will begin immediately to reduce spending – starting here and now – with our own office budgets. |
“To demonstrate my strong commitment to slashing spending, reducing our national deficit, and getting our economy on track, I have directed my own Committee budget to be cut by 9% - nearly double the amount of reductions proposed for other House offices.
“This year, the Appropriations Committee will be ground zero for a wide range of reductions across the federal government, and by cutting our own budget first, we are showing we’re willing to lead by example.
“This is a critical time for the Appropriations Committee, as we will carry out the most expansive reduction of discretionary spending in the history of our nation. Under my watch, the Appropriations Committee will be an instrument of change to enforce the will of the American people.
“My Republican colleagues on the Committee and I are ready to stand and fight for the American people and show that we are serious about our commitment to rein in government spending and control our exploding deficits.
“Yet, it is important to remember that slashing spending to save taxpayer dollars and reducing the size of government is a means to an end. We must always keep our eyes on the ultimate goal: improving our economy, getting our people back to work, and safeguarding the nation’s financial security for the future.
“The one and only mandate we received from the American people in November was to put our economy and jobs first. This is why people came to the polls and voted for a change in this body, and this is the duty that we must fulfill.
“To this end, it is clear that this Congress cannot let favored, yet troublesome programs slip by or allow turf battles to cloud our shared interest in protecting the taxpayer. Our budget axe will swing wide and true, and no area of the federal government will be immune from our scrutiny and cuts. Sacred cows are, for all intents and purposes, extinct.
“Mr. Speaker, we have a big job ahead of us. While this resolution is a small step forward, it is a giant leap to show – in a very personal and practical way – the commitment we have to reducing spending and getting our economy back on track.”
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TEXT and IMAGE CREDIT: Congressman Hal Rogers
VIDEO CREDIT: RepHalRogers
