Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Isakson Introduces Legislation to Ensure Senators' Leftover Office Funds Go Toward Reducing National Debt;
Wins Endorsement from Citizens Against Government Waste

Isakson Has Returned More Than $2.6 Million of His Office Budget to Treasury

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., today introduced the Congressional Budget Accountability Act to guarantee that any unspent funds from senators' office budgets must be used to pay down the national debt or reduce the deficit. The legislation was immediately endorsed by Citizens Against Government Waste and has a bipartisan group of 15 cosponsors.

Isakson has returned over $2.6 million of his annual Congressional budget to the Treasury as a former member of the House and as a current member of the Senate. He expects to be able to return another $450,000 for fiscal year 2010. Under the current rules, senators can return leftover office funds to the Treasury at the end of the fiscal year, but the money goes back into the general fund. Isakson's bill would require that these leftover funds go to pay down the debt or reduce the deficit.

"As members of Congress, we are entrusted with the responsibility of spending taxpayer dollars wisely. I realize this begins with our very own Congressional office budgets," said Isakson. "I have been able to return more than $2.6 million to the Treasury from my annual office budgets over the years, and I know many of my colleagues have returned funds as well. I want to ensure that any Senate office funds that are returned at the end of the year are going to pay down the debt or reduce the deficit. This is a small, easy step we can take toward improving fiscal responsibility."

Citizens Against Government Waste immediately endorsed Isakson's bill, calling it a "simple, commonsense solution to cut spending."

The bill's bipartisan cosponsors include U.S. Senators Ben Nelson, D-Neb., Mike Johanns, R-Neb., Richard Burr, R-N.C., Roger Wicker, R-Miss., John Barrasso, R-Wyo., Mike Lee, R-Utah, Susan Collins, R-Maine, Michael Enzi, R-Wyo., Ronald Johnson, R-Wis., Rand Paul, R-Ky., Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, John Thune, R-S.D., Scott Brown, R-Mass., Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga.

U.S. Rep. Phil Gingrey, R-Ga., has introduced the same legislation in the House for House members' office budgets.