Newsletter: The Webster Wire - Committed to Cutting Waste

Statement

Dear Friend,

Each year since you elected me to Congress, I have rolled back my salary to the 2008 level. Last Monday, I once again hand delivered a personal check to the U.S. Treasury to help pay down our massive federal debt. If we are serious about fixing what's broken in Washington, then we must first get our own house in order. It starts with us. Real leadership is leading by example.

On Thursday, I stopped in four locations throughout my Central Florida district to present a ceremonial check representing the significant savings from my office budget. For the fourth year in a row, I have cut wasteful spending and saved over 30% of the taxpayer dollars allotted to run my Congressional office.

This year, my office savings amounted to $382,391.83, bringing the cumulative sum for the past four years to a grand total of $1,638,580.18. Many of the changes and reforms I have implemented include simple business practices, yet these efforts represent what could happen if every government agency began simply looking for ways to cut waste.

The United States Military Academy notified me this week that two of the young people from our community which I had extended a congressional nomination for a service academy had been accepted by West Point. It was a great privilege to go to Olympia High School on Friday and officially inform Soumya Sreerama and her parents that her nomination had been accepted.

Later, at Dr. Phillips High School, Principal Suzanne Knight, teachers, counselors, coaches, and family members joined me in surprising Pierre Groenewald with his Congressional appointment to the United States Military Academy.

As a member of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, I was honored that Chairman Shuster picked me to join the influential Subcommittee on Highways and Transit ahead of the much anticipated surface transportation reauthorization bill. Transportation is critical to our economy and job creation in Central Florida, and I will continue to work towards improving our transportation infrastructure while ensuring taxpayer dollars are spent wisely.

Legislative Update:

Last week, I introduced H.R. 579, the To Help Reduce Inefficient Government Tendencies (THRIFT) Act of 2015. If enacted, this bill would provide an incentive to federal departments and agencies that evaluate their own spending and identify measures that reduce costs and improve efficiency.

If every area of the federal government began intentionally cutting waste, we could get a lot closer to balancing our budget and trimming the massive burden of debt that will be inherited by our children and grandchildren.

Your servant,

Daniel Webster
Member of Congress

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