GAO finds $100 billion in wasteful programs to cut
Image via WikipediaA Government Accountability Office report has found 34 major areas of wasteful spending that one senator says could help save the federal goverment $100 billion or more.Check out the 34 programs at the link above.
Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) on Tuesday hailed the report, which he had demanded as the price for raising the nation’s debt ceiling last year.
He estimated that the report has found ways to save at least $100 billion.
“This report also shows we could save taxpayers hundreds of billions of dollars every year without cutting services. And, in many cases, smart consolidations will improve service. GAO has identified a mother lode of government waste and duplication that should keep Congress busy for the rest of the year,” Coburn said.
House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.)’s office seized on the report to highlight House efforts to cut spending this year.
“This morning, a new GAO report came out that details the billions of taxpayer dollars that are wasted on duplicative and overlapping government programs. More disturbing is the fact that a similar report was released in 2001 showing hundreds of billions in egregious waste and nothing was done to address it. It has to stop,” Brian Patrick in Cantor’s office said in an e-mail.
“That is why House Republicans are hard at work cutting spending and getting our fiscal house in order - we need to prevent taxpayer dollars from being wasted and put Washington on a budget so we begin to live within our means and get people back to work,” he added.
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This report is a gut punch to Democrats who have been arguing that the $61 billion in cuts proposed by House Republicans was too much. I really don't think there is that many overlaps which means it may be possible to cut $161 billion right away. The Republicans should add these items to their funding bill, since the Democrats are postponing dealing with it.
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