Rep. McMorris Rodgers aims to end mindless federal spending programs.
Unfinished Business: Congress Faces Budgeting Challenges
When Congress returns after Labor Day, its top priority will be completing work on 12 major spending bills before the end of the fiscal year on September 30. This is crucial to avoid a government shutdown crisis, which has occurred multiple times since 2013. However, these incomplete spending bills are just a part of the budgeting challenges that Congress must address.
Currently, there are over 1,100 federal spending programs and agencies worth an estimated $510 billion that continue to receive funding, even though their authorizations expired many years ago. House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairwoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers describes these programs as being “on autopilot,” while budget experts refer to them as “Zombie” federal spending. It is clear that Congress needs to make tough decisions about which programs and agencies should continue to exist.
Outdated Authorizations
Chairwoman McMorris Rodgers highlights several examples of federal agencies that have not been reauthorized for decades. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), and National Telecommunications Information Agency (NTIA) are among those that have been operating without proper authorization.
One of the most glaring examples of a Zombie federal agency is the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC), which has never been authorized.
To address this issue, Washington state Republicans have introduced the “Unauthorized Spending Accountability Act” (USAA). This legislation aims to establish a process that forces Congress to take action. The USAA proposes a three-year cycle, where programs and agencies that are not reauthorized face reductions in their overall spending. If they still haven’t been reauthorized by the end of the third year, they would be terminated.
Passing the USAA would shift the burden of proof onto the agencies, making them more accountable and responsive. Chairwoman McMorris Rodgers believes that this legislation would be a game-changer, disrupting the status quo and ensuring that taxpayer dollars are not spent on autopilot.
Although the USAA has been introduced in previous Congresses, it has gained significant support recently. All 23 Republicans on the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability voted to send the bill to the House floor for consideration. This newfound support, including from House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, indicates that Republicans are recognizing the need for fundamental reforms to address the fiscal crisis.
Chairwoman McMorris Rodgers emphasizes that funding is a constitutional responsibility of the representatives of the people. Congress has the oversight responsibility to ensure that agencies operate within the directives given to them by Congress. It is time for Congress to take action and make the necessary reforms.
Despite the importance of the USAA, there has been some hesitation among Republicans to move the proposal through Congress. Kevin Kosar from the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) finds this reticence puzzling and urges Republicans to prioritize the passage of the USAA.
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