Boehner Leading the Fight to Change Washington’s Culture of Spending

Congressman Boehner and Republicans in Congress pledged before the election that – if given the chance by voters – they would cut government spending and change the way Washington does business. Now, as a new Republican majority is poised to lead the 112th Congress, they’re already working to make good on that pledge. Here are several reforms Boehner and his team have already implemented or are considering for the next Congress:

>> BANNING EARMARKS: The New York Times reported that Republicans voted “to ban the special-purpose spending provisions known as earmarks from being inserted in legislation in the next Congress. …Under the rule, House Democrats will not be allowed to insert earmarks either. ‘Earmarks have become a symbol of a Congress that has broken faith with the people,’ said Representative John A. Boehner of Ohio, the Republican leader, in a statement. ‘This earmark ban shows the American people we are listening, and we are dead serious about ending business as usual in Washington.’” Boehner has had a firm “no earmark” policy since he first ran for Congress.

>> MAKING SPENDING CUTS EASIER: Politico reported that Republicans plan to “simplify spending decisions by considering government funding bills on a department-by-department basis in the new Congress,” noting that “[t]he move would facilitate cutbacks in government programs and, GOP aides say, enhance oversight and accountability for individual agencies…” A similar report in Politico highlighted other GOP proposals which “include statutory spending caps, weekly votes on spending cuts and other reforms to ensure spending bills aren’t sneakily passed under special rules.”

>> IMPLEMENTING “CUT-AS-YOU-GO” RULES:  According to the Wall Street Journal, “House Republicans want to impose new rules that would make it harder for Congress to create government programs. … House Republican Leader John Boehner of Ohio first suggested the change during a Sept. 30 speech to the American Enterpise [sic] Institute, dubbing it ‘Cut-As-You-Go’ — a play on pay-as-you-go rules that require lawmakers to offset any legislation that adds to the budget by cutting spending or raising new revenue through taxes or fees. … ‘Very simply, under this ‘CutGO’ rule, if it is your intention to create a new government program, you must also terminate or reduce spending on an existing government program of equal or greater size–in the very same bill,’ Mr. Boehner said during the AEI speech.”

>> CUTTING CONGRESSIONAL SPENDING: Roll Call also highlights efforts to trim Congressional spending, noting that Republicans are “taking a broad look at potential cost cuts, including ideas for slicing Member budgets, limiting printing and pooling cell phone minutes, according to sources with knowledge of the discussions.”

If you’d like to become a part of John’s campaign to cut spending, create new jobs, and change the way Congress works, join the thousands of others across our district and become a Boehner Campaigner today!

READ MORE:

• Boehner Outlines “Pillars of a New Majority” (11/4/10)
• Boehner in Greenville: “It’s Time for Us to Get Serious About Spending” (10/30/10)
• Enquirer: Boehner a “Highly Effective Legislator,” “the Clear, Solid Choice” for OH-8 (10/24/10)
• Listen: Boehner Talks Job Creation on Celina’s WCSM-FM (10/24/10)
• VIDEO: Boehner Answers Questions from Constituents on Jobs, Spending and ObamaCare (10/18/10)

Read more at John Boehner for Congres