This week, two Florida congressmen reached out across the aisle to offer a bill they claim will slash $479 billion in federal waste over a 10-year period.
U.S. Rep. David Jolly, R-Fla., and U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy, D-Fla., introduced the Savings, Accountability, Value, and Efficiency (SAVE) Act" on Wednesday. Staff for the congressmen informed Sunshine State News on Thursday that while there is no Senate sponsor in place, they are working on getting one.
The bill would promote strategic sourcing across federal agencies, leveraging massive federal buying power to lower prices and lower the number of noncompetitve contracts currently used by the federal government. The bill also consolidates federal data centers around the nation,
would require Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to cut down on fraud with better data metrics, study foreign aid and property management to find fraud and have private companies audit defense spending.
Under the bill, Americans who owe more than $50,000 in federal taxes would lose their passports. The bill would also crack down on identity theft problems in tax refunds.
One of Congresss top priorities should be continually looking for ways to reduce the federal budget and alleviate the growing burden on American taxpayers," Jolly said on Wednesday. "The SAVE Act provides common-sense savings by rooting out waste and improving government efficiency that should be supported by all members of Congress.
"When the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office released their annual economic outlook this week, it was great to see the progress that has been made to cut our nation's deficit by two-thirds, Murphy said. However, it was also a reminder of the work that still needs to be done to get our nation's fiscal house in order.
"The SAVE Act would cut $479 billion in government waste through common-sense provisions that have garnered bipartisan support, Murphy added. Leadership on both sides of the aisle must show they are willing to compromise to make the tough decisions that are needed to put our country on a fiscally sustainable path. This bill is a good start, showing the American people that Congress can work together to tackle these challenges, saving taxpayer money and making our government more accountable."
While the congressmen work to find a Senate sponsor, their bill has members of both parties as co-sponsors in the House, including U.S. Rep. Carlos Curbelo, R-Fla.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
