Lummis: A serious commitment to austerity must also include a stop to government sprawl

Statement

Following President Obama's announcement to freeze federal pay, U.S. Representative Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) called on Washington Democrats to take a step further by enacting the Lummis bill, H.R. 5348, the Federal Workforce Reduction Act, which would institute tough measures to halt government growth and produce a smaller, leaner federal workforce.

Lummis released the following statement:

"President Obama's announcement to freeze federal pay is a step in the right direction, but it doesn't go far enough. A commitment to austerity can only be taken seriously if Washington halts the unchecked sprawl of government in addition to a freeze on pay.

"House Republicans' Pledge to America outlines both the pay freeze, and the other piece to the puzzle: the Federal Workforce Reduction Act. This bill halts government growth, forces agency heads to make government more efficient, and helps us get back to a people-centered, not government-centered America."

Background:

Since President Obama took office the federal government has hired 188,000 new employees, fueled by a $1.1 trillion stimulus and an 84 percent increase in non-defense discretionary spending. The Federal Workforce Reduction Act would save taxpayers $35 billion over the next ten years.

The Federal Workforce Reduction Act:

* Places an immediate freeze on non-national security hires for all non-Defense/Homeland Security/Veterans agencies.

* Reduces the size of government by attrition: For every two federal workers that retire or leave service, the government would only hire one replacement.

* Requires the President to establish a competitive process under which all agencies must apply for, and justify new hires.

* Requires regular public disclosure of all new hires, broken down by agency, so America can track the Administration's hiring priorities.

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