Message From Eric Cantor and You Cut

The new House Republican majority was elected with orders to stop Washington from spending money it doesn't have, and we listened. The jobs and savings of too many Americans are at stake for Washington to continue ducking the toughest choices.

This spring, the House passed a budget that would cut spending by trillions of dollars and encourage private-sector job creation - without raising taxes. Among its key components are tax reforms that close unfair tax loopholes, while lowering the tax rates for everyone.

Unfortunately, the Democrats who still control the Senate and the White House rejected both our budget and a House-passed "Cut, Cap, and Balance" plan that would save trillions.

The Budget Control Act, which has now been signed into law, represents a step toward fiscal sanity in Washington, but only a step. It includes roughly a trillion dollars in up front deficit reduction including real caps to restrain future spending, and no new tax increases.

Bottom line, Washington can't keep spending money it does not have. By participating in the YouCut program over the past year and a half, you were among the first Americans to take action in this cause. Together, we have made a lot of progress, but much more remains to be done.

In the weeks and months ahead, be sure to stay tuned, as there will be several unique opportunities for you to participate in the legislative process. Working together, we will change Washington's culture of spending into a culture of savings.

Regards,

Rep. Eric Cantor
Majority Leader

Vote on You Cut


http://www.majorityleader.gov/YouCut/

Eliminate Grants to Worsted Wool Manufacturers
Potential savings: at least $20 million over 10 years
Manufacturers who weave worsted wool products in the United States that were doing business during the years 1999-2001 obtained eligibility to receive a portion of $5 million in annual grant funding under the Miscellaneous Trade and Technical Corrections Act of 2004. The program was initially intended to be a temporary measure to assist manufacturers in adjusting to changes in U.S. trade laws which subjected them to increased foreign competition, with funds terminating in 2007. However, like many “temporary” government programs, it has been repeatedly extended. It currently is slated to expire in 2014. The initial intent of helping companies “adjust” to changes in trade law that are now more than a decade old has been fulfilled, and even the Obama administration has recommended terminating this program. Eligible manufacturers have already received $25 million in subsidies over the past 5 years to invest in whatever productivity improvements were necessary to counter increased foreign competition.


Eliminate the Science To Achieve Results Program
Potential Savings: up to $650 million over 10 years
The Environmental Protection Agency’s Science to Achieve Results program [STAR] funds scientific and engineering research grants to researchers and academic nonprofit institutions. The $60 million annual program also provides graduate fellowships in environmental sciences in the form of $37,000 yearly for living expenses, research and tuition assistance to masters and doctoral students. Subject matters of the research focus on policy priorities of the EPA, including technologies whose commercial application would be of limited appeal without imposing federal regulations like “cap and trade” systems restricting carbon emissions from stationary sources such as electrical power plants. Development of potentially uneconomic technologies helps the agency implement a heavy-handed regulatory agenda. Moreover, prior assessments of the program by the Office of Management and Budget [OMB] have concluded that some of the funded research is duplicative of research carried out by other federal agencies.

End Federal Funding for Municipal Bike-sharing Programs
The Federal government distributed more than $53 billion in funding for highways and transit projects in FY 2011 from the federal highway and transit trust funds. Federal excise taxes on gasoline sales are supposed to support these programs, however spending has significantly exceeded gas tax revenues in recent years. One reason for the excess has been federal spending on projects that don’t involve highways or transit systems at all, including federally funded bike sharing programs. Bike sharing programs were part of the more than $1 billion the federal government spent on programs to promote biking and walking in 2010. Federal bike and walking programs received hundreds of millions of stimulus dollars in addition to an annually recurring funding base that now exceeds $600 million. Bike sharing programs involve installation of bike storage facilities throughout a metropolitan area, together with the purchase of publicly-owned bicycles that riders can use for free or a nominal fee as a method of transportation. Federally-funded bike sharing programs are currently operating in cities such as Washington DC, New York City, and Minneapolis.

You Cut - April 7th, 2011

Last week's winning YouCut item, championed by Rep. Allen West, reduces the printing budget for the Department of Defense by ten percent. As promised, this week House Republicans brought this proposal to the House floor for a vote, where it passed overwhelmingly.

Look at this weeks You Cut proposals and go to the following site to vote:
http://www.majorityleader.gov/YouCut/




Repeal the $17 Billion "Prevention and Public Health Fund" Created in the 2010 Health Care Law
Saves $17 Billion
Under the health care law signed by President Obama, the Secretary of Health and Human Services is granted the authority to spend funds in a new “Prevention and Public Health Fund ” on any "public health" program or activity such as media campaigns to encourage you to exercise more, publishing cookbooks that tell you what to eat, and grant programs that could be used to promote new taxes on soft drinks and other beverages without any further Congressional approval. This is money that is not specifically dedicated to research to actually prevent, treat, or cure diseases and disorders. Under the law, the fund is automatically replenished with taxpayer funds every year in perpetuity. Eliminating this fund would save approximately $17 billion over the next ten years alone.

Repeal the Mandatory Funding for School-Based Health Center Construction
Saves $200 million
The new health care law signed by President Obama provides $50 million a year through 2014 for construction, land acquisition and other capital costs for school-based health centers. The law did not, however, provide funding to support a center’s operating costs---allowing for the possibility that a center could be built that will never actually provide care to anyone! This funding is also duplicative of funding provided for health care centers in the stimulus law.

Repeal the Mandatory Funding for Graduate Medical Education
Saves $230 million
A provision in the health care law signed by President Obama provides an automatic $230 million for teaching health centers residency programs. While perhaps a laudable goal, mandatory taxpayer funding for these hospitals will actually disadvantage childrens’ hospitals graduate medical education programs that are subject to funding through the annual Congressional appropriations process each year. Eliminating this mandatory funding will ensure that taxpayer fund are not wasted, but go to the highest priority programs.

This Week in You Cut - March 29th, 2011

Help change the Spending Culture in Washington. Vote for You Cut. If you go to the website and vote on a cut, you will be registered to receive weekly notices for You Cut. Least of all we can all do this to participate in changing the culture of spend and borrow. At this point in time, I am voting for whatever cuts the most pork.....after all we're paying for it!

http://www.majorityleader.gov/YouCut/





Reduce printing and reproduction budget by 10%

$180 million in savings through FY16
The Department of Defense (DOD) proposes to spend $357 million on printing and reproduction services in fiscal year 2012 (FY12). While paper copies are often necessary for mission accomplishment, DOD should be encouraged to reduce spending on high quality, glossy color prints (such as the ones accompanying the FY12 budget rollout and other reports and briefings to Congress). Favoring a plain, black and white copy that uses both sides of the paper can still get the job done, and with emergent technologies such as electronic documentation the Department should be encouraged to process information without the use of paper printing and reproduction. A mere 10% reduction to this one account would generate $35.7 million in savings in FY12, reaching nearly $180 million in savings through FY16.


Reduce funding for Defense studies, analysis and evaluations

$120 million to the treasury through FY16
Defense Secretary Robert Gates has emphasized the need to fund the core mission of the Department, realigning dollars from non-essential cost areas to areas of direct mission support. One of those areas which does not provide direct support are the multiple requirements associated with studies, analysis and evaluations. Secretary Gates has implemented an initiative to eliminate unnecessary Defense boards and study groups, and this reduction would support the Secretary’s position to reduce unnecessary costs. A 10% reduction to this account would generate a savings of $24 million in FY12, returning up to $120 million to the treasury through FY16.


Restrict payout of annual nationwide adjustment and locality pay for below satisfactory workers

$80 million through FY16
Currently, all federal workers, no matter how they are rated on their performance, annually receive the January nationwide adjustment. Department of Defense (DOD) workers who are rated as “below satisfactory” still receive an increase in salary despite the fact that they are under performing. An incentive is necessary to entice these unsatisfactory personnel to increase their job performance. This proposal would prohibit payment of nationwide adjustments to any defense civilians rated at below satisfactory (estimated to be about 2% of DOD's over 700,000 workforce), generating approximately $21 million in savings while increasing productivity in the workforce. As employees become more satisfactory in future years, the savings would be approximately $80 million through FY16.

You Cut time again - March 10, 2011

You Cut time again. Go to http://www.majorityleader.gov/YouCut to vote. I voted to terminate the HAMP Program - what a collossal waste of money.

Terminate the Neighborhood Stabilization Program
Approximate $1 billion in savings
Created in 2008, this program provides funding to state and local government to buy and rehabilitate foreclosed homes. Congress has appropriated $7 billion for the program, including $2 billion in the Obama Administration’s stimulus bill. This program encourages government purchase of private homes and some critics have argued that it does not benefit at-risk homeowners facing foreclosure, and may instead create perverse incentives for banks and other lenders to foreclose on troubled borrowers – arguably worsening the housing crisis. This proposal would terminate the last installment of funding which was included in the financial regulation bill in the last Congress, savings taxpayers up to $1 billion.


Terminate the HAMP Program

The Obama Administration’s signature anti-foreclosure effort, the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP), has failed to help a sufficient number of distressed homeowners to justify the program’s cost. According to the Administration, HAMP was supposed to help 4 million homeowners. Instead, only 521,630 loans have been permanently modified under this program and the re-default rate is high. Far from helping at-risk homeowners, HAMP has actually made many worse off, according to the non-partisan Inspector General’s report. The Inspector General also concluded that the program “"continues to fall dramatically short of any meaningful standard of success."

To date, the Administration has spent approximately $840 million of the $29 billion earmarked for HAMP from the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). This proposal would prohibit the government from incurring any additional obligations under this program, thus generating significant savings for taxpayers.


Terminate Exchanges with Historic Whaling and Trading Partners Program
Savings of $87.5 million over ten years
The Exchanges with Historic Whaling and Trading Partners program provides non-competitive grants to support culturally-based educational activities "to assist Alaska Natives, native Hawaiians, and children and families living in Massachusetts linked by history and tradition to Alaska and Hawaii, and members of any federally recognized Indian tribe in Mississippi." The President has proposed terminating this program in part because it is non-competitive in nature, there is no reliable performance data by which to measure the outcomes of the program, and it has "narrow goals [that] are more appropriately served with State, local, and private funding."

You Cut Update - 4 Feb 2011

Eric Cantor (R-VA), the House Majority Leader, reports last week's winning YouCut item, H.R. 359, passed the House in a 239 - 160 vote. This important spending reduction bill will save taxpayers $617 million by eliminating the Presidential Election Fund, including taxpayer financing of political party conventions.

It was a memorable moment to watch your House of Representatives vote in support of legislation directly backed by the YouCut community. Each week, your votes on the YouCut website will bring legislation to the House floor for a vote. Your support of the YouCut program will serve as a reminder to all those representing you in Washington that we need to get spending under control, so that we can grow the economy, create jobs and get people back to work.

Go to YouCut, vote for the You Cut of your choice and sign up for e-mail updates.

Obtain Refund of Funds Owed to the U.S. by the U.N. Tax Equalization Fund
Approximate $180 million in one time savings
As of December 31, 2009, the United Nations reported that it was holding almost $180 million that the U.S. had overpaid into the U.N.’s Tax Equalization Fund (TEF). It appears that the U.N. is still holding the U.S. funds because the Administration has not instructed the U.N. on how it wishes to dispose of them. By instructing the U.N. to return those funds to the U.S. we can generate savings for American taxpayers. In addition, the Administration should also demand that the process for Tax Equalization Fund withholdings be revised to prevent (or at least reduce) future discrepancies leading to such large surpluses.


Obtain Refund of Unspent Contributions to International Peacekeeping Activities
Approximately $86 million in one-time savings
The United Nations has been holding approximately between $210 and $240 million in cash reserves from closed peacekeeping operations. These funds have been accumulating since the early 1990s. Successive U.N. Secretaries-General have requested authority to maintain these unspent funds in a Peacekeeping Reserve Fund, which allows them to cover shortfalls in peacekeeping and, at times, the general budget. However, U.N. regulations require that unspent funds from liquidated missions be returned to Member States within 12 months (with a potential extension to four years in order to meet receipts submitted by troop contributing countries). The U.S.-share of these unspent funds currently totals approximately $86 million. The U.S. should act to demand the reimbursement of these unspent funds.


Prohibit Economic Assistance to Countries Who Hold More Than $50 Billion in U.S. Debt
Savings of potentially $46 million over ten years
Of America's $14 trillion national debt, approximately $4.3 trillion is held by foreign countries. Over the past year, foreign holding of U.S. debt has increased by over $650 billion. Ironically, we actually provide economic assistance in the form of foreign aid to some of our largest creditors. For example, in 2010 U.S. taxpayers provided approximately $4.7 million in economic assistance for countries, including China, that hold in excess of $50 billion in U.S. government debt (this excludes funds for environmental programs). In short, Congress is borrowing money from foreign countries and turning around using some of that money to provide them with economic grants. This proposal would prohibit any economic foreign aid to a country that holds $50 billion or more in U.S. debt.

Message from Eric Cantor (R-VA)

Eric Cantor Announces Intention to Stand for Election as House Majority Leader.

We must govern differently - not just differently than the Democrats, but differently from our previous majority as well. I believe that we need to change Washington's culture of spending that has prevailed for far too long.

To that end, I have announced my intention to stand for election as Majority Leader in the 112th Congress, because I want to help lead that effort and bring about these changes.

Please watch the video message below, where I outline some initial thoughts on how a Republican-led Congress should be run.

We will continue the YouCut program in the 112th Congress - to be clear, this means that your ideas and your votes will directly impact, each week, spending cut proposals that are brought to the House floor by the majority party.

We now have the opportunity to turn our words into action and produce real results. Like you, I am anxious to get started.

Regards,

Rep. Eric Cantor

Obama's End Game - You Have to Watch this Video!!

From Eric Cantor's You Cut Project, "Obama's Endgame: A Look at the National Debt," which takes a look at the debt crisis facing this country is a must see video. To be clear, this is not a typical web video - this is an in-depth analysis of the impact of the national debt upon our nation's future and the government's actions over the past two years.

America is at a critical crossroads, and the path we take will determine the kind of country we want to be. Our country is facing serious challenges; this video is a serious and substantive look at the crisis of generational debt being created by government today.

You Cut Update

YouCut – a first-of-its-kind project - is designed to defeat the permissive culture of runaway spending in Congress. It allows you to vote, both online and on your cell phone, on spending cuts that you want to see the House enact. Vote on this page today for your priorities and together we can begin to change Washington's culture of spending into a culture of savings.

The message is simple: STOP SPENDING AND START CUTTING!

Please go to: http://republicanwhip.house.gov/YouCut/
to participate in this great endeavor with near to 300,000 Americans.

There should be a link to see how your Representative Voted on the proposed cuts.

Previous Cuts Chosen By the Public

Each week, the public votes on which items should be brough to the House Floor. Here is a list of previous winning items.

Week One: Cut the New Non-Reformed Welfare Program ($2.5 Billion Savings)

Week Two: Eliminate Federal Employee Pay Raise ($30 Billion Savings)

Week Three: Reform Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac ($30 Billion Savings)

Week Four: Sell Excess Federal Property ($15 Billion Savings)

You Cut - Week of 20 May 2010

Here's are the second week of You Cut swill to vote on. Go to: http://republicanwhip.house.gov/YouCut/

Once you vote, you will be the e-mail list and each Thursday you will receive a notification of new cuts needing your Vote. So Vote!

As much as I dislike Robert Byrd, and as much as I'd like to see everyone sharing the pain of cuts, including government workers not getting pay raises, I voted for the cut of fundiung for the Government to buy land. The U.S. Government is much too big as it is. They don't need to ruin families by buying land, much if it land used by ranchers to graze their cattle under a BLM contract for which they pay a fee.


Byrd Honors Scholarships
$42 Million in Savings in the First Year
($420 Million Over Ten Years)


Eliminate the Proposed Federal Employee Pay Raise
Approximately $2 Billion in the First Year
(Approximately $30 Billion Over Ten Years)


Suspend Federal Land Purchases
$266 Million in Savings in the First Year
($2.66 Billion Over Ten Years)


Terminate Funding for UNESCO
$81 Million in Savings in the First Year
($810 Million Over Ten Years)


Eliminate Mohair Subsidies
Approximately $1 Million in Savings in the First Year
($10 Million Over Ten Years)

Congressman Eric Cantor (R-VA) Introduces "You Cut"

House Minority Whip, Republican Congressman Eric Cantor introduces "YouCut" – a first-of-its-kind project - is designed to defeat the permissive culture of runaway spending in Congress. It allows you to vote, both online and on your cell phone, on spending cuts that you want to see the House enact. Vote on this page today for your priorities and together we can begin to change Washington's culture of spending into a culture of savings. Go to: http://republicanwhip.house.gov/YouCut/
to see the video from Congressman Cantor, who along with Mike Roger (R-MI) are giving me more hope than a warm camp fire that thee Conservatives have some leaders. Please go to this site each week and vote - lets force the Democrats to go on record for bigger spending and pork barrel politics.


Each week there will five candidates to vote to cut. This week's candidates are the five programs below. I voted to cut the Taxpayer Subsidized Union Activities even though money wise it is not the biggest waste of money - it's just I hate Unions, especially the brown shirts in blue, SEIU, which is a front for Obama and his radical agenda.

Presidential Election Fund
$260 million in savings
This federal program provides matching funds to political candidates during Presidential primaries, certain third-party candidates, and funds for political conventions. In the 2008 presidential election, the candidates raised over $1.3 billion from individuals and PACs, do they really need to supplement that with taxpayer money? This proposal has been estimated to save $260 million over five years. (Also proposed as part of the RSC Sunset Caucus.)

Taxpayer Subsidized Union Activities
$600 million in savings
Currently, some federal employees spend up to 100% of their workweek, paid by taxpayers, doing work for their union. Federal employees unions collect millions in revenue each year and spend significant amounts on political activities and lobbying, should they also be subsidized by the taxpayer for their official functions? In 2008 the Federal government spent $120 million paying employees for their time spent working on union activities (over five years this would total a minimum of $600 million.) (Also proposed as part of the RSC Sunset Caucus.)


HUD Program for Doctoral Dissertations
$1 million in savings
Recently, taxpayers have financed research on media strategies for housing policy and the use of eminent domain for urban redevelopment. Why should families who are struggling to pay for their children’s college also being asked to fund stipends from the government for those who want to write their dissertation on certain government-preferred policies? At approximately $200,000 in grants per year, terminating this program would save $1 million over five years.


New Non-Reformed Welfare Program
$2.5 billion in savings
The program was recently created to incentivize states to increase their welfare caseloads without requiring able-bodied adults to work, get job training, or otherwise prepare to move off of taxpayer assistance. Reforming the welfare program was one of the great achievements of the mid 1990s, saving taxpayers billions of dollars and ending the cycle of dependency on welfare. This new program, created in 2009 is a backdoor way to undo those reforms. The program currently costs approximately $2.5 billion a year. (Also proposed as part of the RSC Sunset Caucus.)


Eliminate Wealthier Communities from CDBG
$2.6 billion in savings
This cut will focus federal economic development assistance to needy communities. The Community Development Block Grant program currently funds a wide range of local economic development activities, while it is advertised as a way to help low-income communities, funds are also dispersed to communities with income well-above the national average. A recent study found that the community of Newton, Massachusetts with a per capita income over twice the national average was receiving $28 per person in CDBG funds. At the same time, other communities with income 25% below the national average were receiving $10 per person. Restricting this program to only communities with income at or below 110% of national average income would save $2.6 billion over five years.