Washington, D.C. – Today, Citizens Against Government Waste released its preliminary analysis of the Senate version of the fiscal year (FY) 2012 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill.  The bill allocates $742.4 billion, $19.7 billion more than the amount provided in FY 2011 and $16.3 billion below the President’s FY 2012 budget request.  

“While we commend the committee for submitting a bill that would lower spending compared to the President’s request, senators should be looking to do even more in this time of unprecedented fiscal excess,” said CAGW President Tom Schatz.  “Approving a bill that is more costly to taxpayers than the FY 2011 version is unacceptable.  The spending trajectory is going the wrong way.”

Fortunately for Congress, CAGW has already done the heavy lifting in the search for budget cuts.  After combing through the FY 2012 Labor, HHS, and Education bill and comparing it to the recommendations contained in the 2011 Prime Cuts database, CAGW found eight significant spending cuts that, if enacted, would save taxpayers $389 million over one year and $2 billion over five years.

“The Prime Cuts database gives the public, the President, and Congress a very straightforward list of wasteful, duplicative, and outdated programs drawn from more than two dozen credible sources,” added Schatz.  “All that is missing is the political leadership to eliminate these boondoggles using the budget process and the veto pen.”

Citizens Against Government Waste is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, mismanagement and abuse in government.