WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senators Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) and Mark Udall (D-Colo.) will introduce bipartisan legislation to create a U.S. Senate Committee to Reduce Government Waste to locate and eliminate ineffective, outdated or duplicative federal programs. The proposed committee, composed of six Republican and six Democratic senators, would continually review federal programs and propose legislative and administrative reforms each year to cut wasteful spending and reduce the deficit.

"American taxpayers hear time and again how Congress is serious about reducing our nation’s staggering deficit and debt, but see little to no results in the end," Roberts said. "Our legislation would actually produce a mechanism that would force the Senate to vote on eliminating wasteful, inefficient or redundant government programs. Our bill would add much needed 'teeth' to an idea that has yet to lead to real reductions."

"Creating a committee wholly dedicated to finding and eliminating wasteful government spending is a simple step we can take to reduce our federal budget deficit and assure taxpayers that they are getting the best bang for their buck," Udall said. "Slashing ineffective and duplicative spending should be a no-brainer as we work to get our fiscal house in order and the deficit in check. I am proud to re-introduce this common-sense, bipartisan bill with Sen. Roberts to make the federal government more accountable and fair to Coloradans and all Americans."

U.S. Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY) is an original cosponsor.

Udall introduced similar legislation in 2011 with Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah). The Udall-Roberts bill, like the Udall-Hatch proposal, is based on a program implemented after World War II, which cut billions of dollars in wasteful spending over just three years.

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