Framework would help end recent glut of old-fashioned government growth
WASHINGTON – Today Americans for Tax Reform announced its support for House Budget Chairman Jim Nussle\’s (R-Iowa) proposal for reining in the FY 2005 budget and putting a stop to the rash of government overspending recently plaguing the Capitol. Chairman Nussle\’s proposal would stop any tax increases, recognize the cost of the Iraq war in the budget, and move in fiscal responsibility measures like freezes on certain kinds of spending.
"Washington has three political parties, Republicans, Democrats and Appropriators. Lately it\’s seemed like the Appropriators were in the majority. Congressman Nussle\’s proposal could give back the upper hand to some cooler heads in the House," said Grover Norquist, taxpayer advocate and president of ATR.
From 1994 to 2000, spending increased at an annual rate of 3.3 percent, but since 2000, spending has increased at a rate of 7.0 percent per year. In order to set the nation\’s books in order again, Chairman Nussle proposes a freeze on discretionary spending, no new earmarks, no new mandatory or entitlement spending, no increases for unauthorized programs, no budget waivers, and no non-war supplementals without offsets. Additional measures include targeting waste, fraud and abuse for cuts.
"Overall spending has been spiraling toward the sky for too long. Now the Republican Congress needs to turn to spending with the same vigor it has applied to tax relief for every American. Unless Congress gets spending under control, the pressure will build again for job-killing tax increases. Chairman Nussle\’s proposals can chain down this beast and save the taxpayer from a new round of gouging," Norquist concluded.