You Cut Phase II - First of June 2011

Congress needs your vote. Go to http://www.majorityleader.gov/YouCut/ and vote on one of the three money pits below, or provide your own ideas on cutting the Federal spending plan.


Terminate U.S. Contributions to the World Bank's Clean Technology Fund
Potential Savings: $838 million
In 2008, the U.S. government committed to make $2 billion in contributions to climate change activities at the World Bank, two-thirds of which were intended for the Clean Technology Fund. The Clean Technology Fund subsidizes the construction in developing countries of “clean” energy generation facilities that are more expensive than traditional coal or oil-based power plants. The fund has developed a wind energy farm in Mexico and a geothermal power plant in Indonesia. So far, the U.S. has provided $481 million of the total estimated U.S. contribution of $1.3 billion for the Clean Technology Fund.

Terminate the Federal Railroad Administration’s Funding of High-Speed Rail Projects
Potential Savings: $3.8 billion
The 2009 Stimulus bill provided $8 billion in grants to develop high-speed rail lines intended to shorten passenger rail travel times with trains operating at between 90 and 250 miles per hour. Another $2.1 billion was appropriated for these projects in the last two fiscal years, although no funding was provided in the final appropriations for FY 2011. These grants fund construction of rail lines that States will then be required to support with annual operating subsidies. Critics note that only two high speed rail lines in the world are actually profitable. Due to the potential taxpayer exposure from future operating subsidies, several Governors have refused federal high-speed rail funds.

Terminate Climate Change Activities at the National Park Service
Potential Savings: $4.5 million
The National Park Service has established a Climate Change Response Office and a Climate Change Monitoring System as part of a department-wide mandate by the Secretary of the Interior to devote more resources to the issue of global warming. The office will do “scenario planning” on possible warming effects within the parks, in addition to formulating policies that reduce the Park Service’s “carbon footprint.” In addition, the office will inform staff and visitors about the impacts of climate change in the parks. Funding for these activities was zeroed out in HR 1, however this termination was not enacted as part of the final budget agreement for FY 2011.