To See Hensarling’s Floor Speech On YouTube Go To
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oohb-zNF_L8

WASHINGTON, DC — Congressman Jeb Hensarling (TX-05), the 2nd ranking Republican on the House Budget Committee and one of three House Republicans appointed to the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, today spoke in favor of the first spending cut proposed by the American people through “YouCut” www.republicanwhip.house.gov/youcut an online mechanism set-up by House Republicans to give taxpayers a direct say in how their tax dollars are spent. The spending cut was defeated on a largely party line vote of 240 to 177.

“Last week over 280,000 votes were cast at www.republicanwhip.house.gov/youcut. With over 81,000 votes, the first winning spending cut was a proposal to eliminate a recently created, but unnecessary $2.5 billion annual welfare program,” announced Congressman Jeb Hensarling. “Unfortunately, Democrats chose to continue to spend our hard-earned tax dollars on this unaffordable and duplicative welfare program.”

This week citizens can go to www.republicanwhip.house.gov/youcut to choose among the following proposed cuts:

• Byrd Honors Scholarships ($42 million in savings in the first year -$420 million over ten years) Even the Obama Administration proposed terminating this program in their annual budget.  Surely Congress can too.
   
• Eliminate the Proposed Federal Employee Pay Raise (saves approximately $2 billion in the first year, $30 billion over ten years).  President Obama proposed providing federal civilian employees with a 1.4% pay raise next year. This year Federal employees received a 2% raise and since the year 2000 have received raises averaging 3.6% a year. USA Today recently reported that the typical federal worker is paid 20% more than a private-sector worker in the same occupation. This proposal would expand upon the just enacted legislation to prevent Members of Congress from receiving a pay raise and would not impact the scheduled pay raise for those serving in the military.
   
• Suspend Federal Land Purchases ($266 million in savings in the first year, $2.66 billion over ten years).  Last year Congress spent $266 million acquiring additional federal lands at the Departments of Interior and Agriculture, a 138% increase over the comparable amount of funding just four years ago. Given that the federal government already owns 29% of the land in America and has a multi-billion dollar maintenance backlog to maintain current land holdings, suspending new federal land would permit the government to focus on maintaining existing property while also saving taxpayers millions of dollars a year.
   
• Terminate Funding for UNESCO ($81 million in savings in the first year, $810 million over ten years).  Last year the administration proposed deleting the Department of Education’s attaché to UNESCO saving approximately $632,000 a year. Terminating U.S. support for UNESCO entirely would save taxpayers $81 million annually. The U.S. had not supported UNESCO for 19 years prior to the decision by the Bush Administration to rejoin in 2003. UNESCO routinely undertakes activities that are properly the responsibility of individual countries and their governments, including reviewing and making recommendations in areas related to education, arts, culture, ethics, science and technology, and historic preservation. UNESCO recently came under fire for their proposed International Guidelines for Sexuality Education.  Membership provides little benefit to American taxpayers in light of the overall cost.
   
• Eliminate Mohair Subsidies (approximately $1 million in savings in the first year, $10 million over ten years).  Federal price support for mohair was first enacted in 1947, and the National Wool Act of 1954 established direct payments for wool and mohair producers. The purpose was to encourage production of wool because it was considered an essential and strategic commodity.  According to the Congressional Research Service, no similar purpose was stated for the mohair program. While this program was phased out in 1995, ad hoc payments were provided in 1999 and 2000 and the program was reinstituted in 2002. Eliminating this program once again would save taxpayers approximately $1 million a year. (Also proposed as part of the RSC Sunset Caucus.)

“It should be an easy choice – either YouCut or your children and grandchildren drown in a sea of red ink,” said Hensarling. “Of course nothing is ever easy in Washington, but I firmly believe that if you begin to take care of the pennies and nickels then the dollars begin to take care of themselves.”

Hensarling concluded, “Please take just a few seconds to vote on YouCut. The American people are engaged as never before in the debate over how to reign in Washington’s culture of spending.  Over 280,000 YouCut votes were cast for the first round of cuts.  But to bring real change to Washington’s culture of spending and borrowing we need many more people to stand up and participate. The louder our voice, the harder it becomes for Speaker Pelosi to ignore.  Visit www.republicanwhip.house.gov/youcut to cast your vote now.”

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