House Passes Peters Bill To Direct Member Funds To Deficit Reduction

Press Release

The U.S. House of Representatives today approved legislation introduced by Congressman Gary Peters to help reduce the federal budget deficit. The Sensible Steps Towards a Balanced Budget Act, introduced with Representative Ann Kirkpatrick of Arizona, would require all unused funds from each congressional office account be given back to taxpayers to help reduce the budget deficit. The bill was approved 413-1.

Congressman Peters ran his office so efficiently it came in $135,000 under budget for 2009. Peters was able to return these savings to the U.S. Treasury this year but there would be no guarantee he and other Members would be able to do so in future years without enactment of his bill. Peters' bill would require that all funding saved from all Member offices go to deficit reduction every year.

"When I came to Congress at the beginning of 2009, I made it a priority to run my office efficiently, come in under budget, and return the difference to taxpayers," said Rep. Peters. "I was surprised that the money I saved each year would not necessarily be returned to the treasury to help offset the deficit. This legislation would fix that, so that all the funding more frugal Members of Congress save by running their offices efficiently would always be returned to taxpayers."

America's national debt now stands at $12.5 trillion. Congressman Peters has consistently stood up for fiscal responsibility and deficit and national debt reduction since coming to office in January 2009. In his first month in office, Peters began an ultimately successful fight against a congressional pay raise and is fighting against one again this year. Peters was among only 19 Democrats to vote for a domestic spending freeze last July, a position President Obama announced he would support in January. Throughout 2009 and 2010, Peters has voted against hundreds of billions of dollars in unnecessary spending in all. He also voted twice against an increase in the nation's debt ceiling. Peters led the charge to redirect unspent bank bailout funding for small business lending and deficit reduction last December. Peters has been a vocal supporter of strong Pay-as-you-go legislation and the creation of an independent, bipartisan deficit reduction commission. Last week, Peters was among the first Democrats (and possibly the first Democrat) in the country to call for a total moratorium on congressional earmarks.

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