Thursday, March 17, 2011

Isakson, Chambliss Vote to Cut Senate Office Budgets

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., and Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., Wednesday voted to cut U.S. Senate office budgets, including their own, by 5 percent.

The legislation passed the Senate by a vote of 98 to 1 and was offered as an amendment to S. 493, the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)/Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Reauthorization Act of 2011, by Senator Ben Nelson, D-Neb.

"The American people have had to tighten their belts during this economic recession, and I believe that Congress should have to do the same," said Isakson. "I take very seriously my obligation to be a good steward of taxpayer dollars—that's why I have been conservative when it comes to using taxpayer-funded resources since arriving in Congress and I have returned more than $3 million to the Treasury from my annual office budgets over the years."

"During these tough economic times, the American people have had to make hard decisions and live within their means. Congress should do the same," said Chambliss. "Washington should not be immune to the difficult budgeting decisions American families and businesses are having to make right now."

Isakson has returned more than $3 million of his annual Congressional budget to the Treasury as a former member of the House and as a current member of the Senate. Chambliss has returned $2.7 million of his annual House and Senate budgets.

Earlier this year, Isakson 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, including Chambliss.