“Best Plan on the Table,” Schatz calls it

(Washington, D.C.) – Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) today applauded the budget plan proposed by the Republican Study Committee (RSC).  “Contract With America: Renewed” carves out $650 billion in savings and aims to balance the budget in five years, compared to President Bush’s plan to cut the deficit in half by 2009. 

“The RSC blueprint is the best comprehensive plan on the table to reign in spending and cut government waste.”  CAGW President Tom Schatz said.  “The rest of Congress needs to support this plan and get serious about addressing the nation’s long-term budget problems.”

The RSC budget would eliminate more than 150 programs and restrain the runaway growth of entitlement spending.  Highlights of the plan include $31 billion in cuts to foreign aid over five years, capping Medicare’s growth at 5.4 percent annually, and budget process reforms.  It also answers President Bush’s call for a Sunset Commission, which would require all federal programs to expire after a specified period of time unless Congress voted to keep them going.   

“Capping Medicare’s growth would force Congress to examine the structural deficiencies in the health care system that lead to massive waste, rather than simply spend more money,” Schatz continued.  “The list of program eliminations includes wasteful and unnecessary programs like the Advanced Technology Program, the African Elephant Conservation Program, and the Robert C. Byrd Scholarship Program.”   

The RSC plan arrives as Congress prepares to increase the national debt limit beyond the current $8.184 trillion.  The debt is already $8.28 trillion, which breaks down to $27,724 per citizen.    Last week, the Senate Budget Committee approved a budget plan that rejected the President’s proposal to trim the growth of Medicare spending by $35.9 billion over five years.  While Democrats blasted the plan for increasing the debt, most of the amendments offered by Democrats would have increased spending.  

“The national debt is proof of Congress’s addiction to overspending.  Gimmicks and posturing have come to dominate the budget debate.  The RSC plan is the most honest attempt at fiscal responsibility on Capitol Hill,” Schatz concluded.

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