- Legislation Will Help Protect Taxpayer Money From Government Waste -

WASHINGTON, D.C. — As part of his commitment to fiscal responsibility and accountability in government, Congressman Zack Space (OH-18) yesterday voted in favor of legislation to protect taxpayer money from government waste. By forcing regular reviews of government expenditures, Space is working to reign in excessive spending and ensure that the bloated and wasteful practices from previous years are significantly reduced.

“This resolution is a great first step toward reigning in the reckless spending that frequently pervades government,” Space said. “We have a responsibility as representatives of our constituents to protect their hard-earned money, and this legislation will bring a measure of accountability and oversight to the process.”

“As a member of the Blue Dog Coalition, I have a commitment to ensuring that government lives within its means and does not waste taxpayer dollars. I look forward to using this new tool to shed some light on unacceptable waste, fraud, and abuse in our government,” Space continued.

This legislation requires that each House committee conduct:

• at least one hearing during each 120-day period on the topic of waste, fraud, abuse and mismanagement in the agencies under the committee’s jurisdiction.
• at least one additional hearing per year if an agency’s auditors issue disclaimers in that agency’s financial report.
• at least one additional hearing if a program under its jurisdiction is designated as “high risk” by Government Accountability Office in their high-risk series.

Passed overwhelmingly, this Blue Dog-sponsored rule will require more Congressional hearings to monitor the functions of government.

Congressman Space has represented Ohio's 18th Congressional District since 2007. He is working to restore integrity to the office, expand Ohio's economy, and support renewable energy.