Cost of Government Day (COGD)
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Title: Mario Diaz-Balart introduces group to tackle government waste

Date: July 17, 2003

Source: Naples Daily News

Words: 521

WASHINGTON — In the Florida Legislature, Mario Diaz-Balart was known as "The Slasher" for his 1995 order to cut state agencies' spending by 25 percent.

The congressman is hoping to continue that legacy in Washington. On Wednesday he introduced a group, which he co-founded, aimed at tackling waste, fraud and abuse in government agencies.

"We need to let the people know that this federal government is just wasting a lot of people's money," said Diaz-Balart, whose district covers part of Southwest Florida. "We need to change the debate, change the culture of waste, fraud and abuse to a culture of fiscal responsibility where we will not accept it."

"Nowhere in real life can you lose $20 billion and have no accountability," Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart said.

Diaz-Balart joined about a dozen other freshmen Republicans for a news conference introducing Washington Waste Watchers, a group that will speak on the House floor every Wednesday to detail government misspending.

The Miami Republican promised aggressive legislation to fix these problems. He said it would be premature to say whether the potential windfall should be used to provide better and additional services or to instead cut taxes.

One by one, the legislators spoke amid exhibits of grievous spending: an $800,000 outhouse in Pennsylvania and a pair of wheelchairs that cost Medicare roughly $400 more than the Department of Veterans Affairs, even though the chairs are the same model.

Rep. Roy Blount, a Missouri Republican who as House whip is its third-highest ranking member, came by to tell the group it had the support of the Republican leadership.

"One wheelchair won't bankrupt the government," he said. "Thousands of wheelchairs — which is what we buy — do have a huge impact on how we do what we do."

Diaz-Balart formed the group along with Reps. Tom Feeney of Oviedo and Jeb Hensarling of Texas.

Feeney cited an Americans for Tax Reform statistic showing that the average Floridian works until July 8 to pay for annual federal, state and local taxes. He said that if federal bureaucrats and administrators know that a watchdog group is lurking nearby, "maybe there will be a lot less unusual expense to be had."

Hensarling added: "It's not how much money Washington spends, it's how Washington spends the money."

He said the group shared a common trait: as freshmen, the members have not yet lost the ability to be outraged.

Diaz-Balart, indeed, voiced his displeasure over the idea that so much money isn't merely misspent but actually unaccounted for. Citing statistics gleaned from a variety of federal agencies, the congressman detailed how the federal government loses $20 billion a year.

"Nowhere in real life can you lose $20 billion and have no accountability," he said.

Citizens Against Government Waste, a nonpartisan watchdog group, applauded the members of Congress for their initiative.

"This is a critical first step in the struggle against what has become a way of life on Capitol Hill," said Tom Schatz, the group's president. "The fact that some members of Congress are willing to take a stand and combat waste gives hope to American taxpayers that there still are politicians on their side."

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