Kinzinger and Kirk’s First Order of Business in Congress: Get Spending Under Control

From the office of Congressman Adam Kinzinger (11th District)…

Washington, D.C. — A little over a month after his swearing-in to Congress, U.S. Representative Adam Kinzinger (IL-11) today introduced the Spending Control Act, legislation that will force Congress to control federal spending.

“I’m pleased to join my colleague, Senator Mark Kirk (IL), to introduce legislation that will work toward ending the Washington spending spree,” said Representative Kinzinger. “We have tough decisions to make and the Spending Control Act will force both sides to roll up our sleeves in order to implement these solutions that will get our economy back on solid ground while living within our means.”

Under implementation, the Spending Control Act would create a “Grace Commission II,” modeled after President Ronald Reagan’s original Grace Commission that was devised in 1982 to reduce federal spending. Reagan’s Commission conducted an investigation at the request of the President, with a focus on cutting waste and inefficiencies in the federal government.

The Grace Commission II would be bipartisan, with an equal balance of members from both sides of the aisle. Eight commissioners would be selected by House and Senate Leadership. The chairman would be selected from this group by the President.

To ensure all recommendations are made with bipartisan support, the Commission would vote and the measure must receive approval from five members before draft legislation can be formally submitted to the House and Senate for a straight up-or-down vote, a key difference from the original Grace Commission and President Obama’s National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility & Reform.

“Earlier in the week, Americans expressed disappointment over the President’s missed opportunity to exhibit any leadership,” said Kinzinger. “The President offered a budget that calls for more of the same stimulus spending and job-crushing tax hikes that the American people rejected last November. We can’t afford to waste anymore time; each day we sit back is another $1.2 billion in interest our country pays on our debt. American families and small businesses cannot afford a government that spends, taxes, and borrows more money we don’t have.”

“Enough is enough,” continued Kinzinger. “Now is the time to create a bipartisan team of legislators who will work together and create a path to prosperity by cutting spending and reducing taxes. The Spending Control Act is a significant step toward forcing government to cut up their credit cards and ensuring proposed spending cuts are actually being implemented.”

“Americans are clear in their desire for Congress to change course and stop spending money we do not have,” said Senator Kirk. “We should enact several anti-spending reforms, including the Spending Control Act which will ensure the United States will not plunge further down this unsustainable path of out-of-control spending.”

This bipartisan reform was established under the five successful military Base Closure and Realignment Commissions (BRAC) of 1988, 1991, 1993, 1995 and 2005 and is another fundamental difference from President Obama’s National Commission.


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