NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo Supports Across-theBoard Cuts; Vote YES on Blackburn!

From: The Honorable Marsha Blackburn Sent By: Date: 6/5/2012

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo Supports Across-the-Board Spending Cuts Vote YES on Blackburn!

These cuts are coming on top of the across-the-board 10 percent spending reduction Cuomo ordered for the agencies in his first executive budget, which also created a Spending and Government Efficiency Commission to cut state agencies, commissions and authorities by 20 percent. - Liz Benjamin, Capital Tonight, November 2, 2011 Dear Colleague:

The FY 2013 Energy and Water Development Appropriations Bill includes $32.1 billion in funding, falling $965 million beneath the Presidents budget request. However, there is still room for improvement which is why I introduced my 1 percent across-the-board spending reduction amendment. My amendment will save taxpayers an additional $321 million by cutting just one penny on every dollar. Across-the-board spending cuts are used by many of our state governments as a sensible way to cut spending without picking winners and losers. They also give agencies the flexibility they need to determine where to make cuts without hampering their operations and ability to carry out their mission. As Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels has said individual agency heads have the freedom to determine how the cuts are made. Additional bipartisan supporters of across-the-board spending cuts include: Governor Rick Perry (R-TX) Starting in January 2010, we asked them to identify 5 percent savings in the 2010-2011 biennium and 10 percent for the 12-13 biennium. Those agency leaders responded with a concerted effort, taking stock of their organizations and coming up with proactive cuts, that will keep Texas moving in the right direction.- Governor Rick Perry, 2011 Texas State of the State Address Former OMB Director Peter Orzag "Your agency is required to identify the programs and subprograms that have the lowest impact on your agency's mission and constitute at least 5 percent of your agency's discretionary budget."- Former OMB Director Peter Orzag, OMB Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies, June 8, 2010 Governor Chris Christie (R-NJ) In New Jersey what we did was we cut spending in every department, a 9 percent cut in real spending, not projected spending, real spending year over year. - Governor Chris Christie, Meet the Press, November 7, 2010 Governor Brian Schweitzer (D-MT) As part of those saving efforts, Schweitzer cut state agency spending 5 percent across the board.- Lapin, Nicole, Montana Governor Runs State 'Like a Ranch', CNBC, 22 Oct. 2010

While I applaud the Appropriations committee for laying a firm foundation for fiscal discipline, I believe my amendment will take their effort one step further. Removing a penny from every dollar of funding will help these departments find new efficiencies and reform their wasteful business practices, while saving taxpayers millions in the process.

Sincerely,

Marsha Blackburn Member of Congress