Cantor, Price, Jordan Announce The First Winning YouCut Proposal
WASHINGTON, D.C. – House Republican Whip Eric Cantor (R-VA) today issued the following statement to announce the first winning YouCut proposal. The spending cut, offered by Reps. Tom Price and Jim Jordan, would eliminate a $2.5 billion Non-Reformed Welfare Program.
“With over 280,000 votes cast, it’s clear the American people—fed up with the culture of spending in Washington— have embraced YouCut as a vehicle to make their voices heard in Washington. With over 81,000 votes, the first winning spending cut is a proposal offered by RSC Chairman Tom Price and Rep. Jim Jordan, head of the RSC Budget and Spending Task Force, to eliminate a recently created, but unnecessary $2.5 billion annual welfare program. Not only is the new program unaffordable and duplicative, it undercuts welfare reforms made in the mid 1990’s that saved taxpayers billions of dollars.”
“YouCut is unequivocal proof that the American people are demanding action in Washington. Over 280,000 loud voices united in their opposition to the maelstrom of waste in Washington, are simply impossible to ignore. Later this week when we take Dr. Price’s cut to the floor, we hope the Democrats will be ready to listen to their constituents, and join us in a robust debate on an obvious way to reduce spending. The YouCut project is just beginning - tomorrow, five new spending cuts will be announced and the next round of voting will commence.”
YouCut VOTE BACKGROUND— Of the YouCut votes cast, less than 1 percent came from inside the beltway. In addition to the 280,000 plus cast, there have been over 15,000 email submissions of spending-cut ideas.
Final Results:
17.45% for 1 – Presidential Election Fund
27.06% for 2 – Taxpayer Subsidized Union Activities
11.89% for 3 – HUD Program for Doctoral Dissertations
29.07% for 4 – New Non-Reformed Welfare Program
16.53% for 5 – Eliminate Wealthier Communities from CDBG
BACKGROUND ON WINNING SPENDING CUT: In 1996 Congress and the President joined together to implement a bipartisan reform of our nation’s welfare system. Since then welfare caseloads dropped by an unprecedented 60% as work and earnings by low-income parents rose by record levels. Despite the bipartisan support for the 1996 reforms, some Members, led by reform opponent Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA), included several provisions in the 2009 stimulus law to undermine the successful welfare reforms – including a new “welfare emergency fund” designed to promote welfare dependence.
The welfare emergency fund provided States with up to $5 billion in new Federal funds in 2009 and 2010 if they increase welfare caseloads, among other outcomes. Of that $5 billion thus far $2.4 billion has been spent; including, $1 billion for “basic assistance” (i.e. welfare checks), $1 billion for “non-recurrent short-term assistance,” and under $400 million (16%) for “subsidized employment.”
Here is just one example of how States spent this money on “non-recurrent short-term assistance.” Last summer New York State used welfare emergency funds to make one-time $200 per child “back to school” payments to welfare and food stamp recipients. But many recipients didn’t use the money for back to school supplies. As CBS News reported, the funds were used in many cases to purchase “flat screen TVs, iPods and video gaming systems;" and convenience stores in certain areas “noted marked increases in beer, lotto and cigarette sales.”
Despite the documented waste of taxpayer funds, the majority in Congress is proposing to continue the program for another year and add another $2.5 billion in new money. As the YouCut vote winner, the proposal put forward by Rep. Tom Price (R-GA) and Rep, Jim Jordan (R-OH) to terminate this program will be brought up for a vote in the House this week. Members of Congress – from both parties – will have the opportunity to vote as to whether or not this program should continue or whether it should be terminated the savings used to reduce the deficit.
Visit the YouCut Website HERE.
“With over 280,000 votes cast, it’s clear the American people—fed up with the culture of spending in Washington— have embraced YouCut as a vehicle to make their voices heard in Washington. With over 81,000 votes, the first winning spending cut is a proposal offered by RSC Chairman Tom Price and Rep. Jim Jordan, head of the RSC Budget and Spending Task Force, to eliminate a recently created, but unnecessary $2.5 billion annual welfare program. Not only is the new program unaffordable and duplicative, it undercuts welfare reforms made in the mid 1990’s that saved taxpayers billions of dollars.”
“YouCut is unequivocal proof that the American people are demanding action in Washington. Over 280,000 loud voices united in their opposition to the maelstrom of waste in Washington, are simply impossible to ignore. Later this week when we take Dr. Price’s cut to the floor, we hope the Democrats will be ready to listen to their constituents, and join us in a robust debate on an obvious way to reduce spending. The YouCut project is just beginning - tomorrow, five new spending cuts will be announced and the next round of voting will commence.”
YouCut VOTE BACKGROUND— Of the YouCut votes cast, less than 1 percent came from inside the beltway. In addition to the 280,000 plus cast, there have been over 15,000 email submissions of spending-cut ideas.
Final Results:
17.45% for 1 – Presidential Election Fund
27.06% for 2 – Taxpayer Subsidized Union Activities
11.89% for 3 – HUD Program for Doctoral Dissertations
29.07% for 4 – New Non-Reformed Welfare Program
16.53% for 5 – Eliminate Wealthier Communities from CDBG
BACKGROUND ON WINNING SPENDING CUT: In 1996 Congress and the President joined together to implement a bipartisan reform of our nation’s welfare system. Since then welfare caseloads dropped by an unprecedented 60% as work and earnings by low-income parents rose by record levels. Despite the bipartisan support for the 1996 reforms, some Members, led by reform opponent Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA), included several provisions in the 2009 stimulus law to undermine the successful welfare reforms – including a new “welfare emergency fund” designed to promote welfare dependence.
The welfare emergency fund provided States with up to $5 billion in new Federal funds in 2009 and 2010 if they increase welfare caseloads, among other outcomes. Of that $5 billion thus far $2.4 billion has been spent; including, $1 billion for “basic assistance” (i.e. welfare checks), $1 billion for “non-recurrent short-term assistance,” and under $400 million (16%) for “subsidized employment.”
Here is just one example of how States spent this money on “non-recurrent short-term assistance.” Last summer New York State used welfare emergency funds to make one-time $200 per child “back to school” payments to welfare and food stamp recipients. But many recipients didn’t use the money for back to school supplies. As CBS News reported, the funds were used in many cases to purchase “flat screen TVs, iPods and video gaming systems;" and convenience stores in certain areas “noted marked increases in beer, lotto and cigarette sales.”
Despite the documented waste of taxpayer funds, the majority in Congress is proposing to continue the program for another year and add another $2.5 billion in new money. As the YouCut vote winner, the proposal put forward by Rep. Tom Price (R-GA) and Rep, Jim Jordan (R-OH) to terminate this program will be brought up for a vote in the House this week. Members of Congress – from both parties – will have the opportunity to vote as to whether or not this program should continue or whether it should be terminated the savings used to reduce the deficit.
Visit the YouCut Website HERE.
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