NTU urges all Senators to vote “YES” on the Coburn Amendment (#3358) to H.R. 4213, the tax extenders legislation.
This amendment would require disclosure of three important items: total spending authorized by the Senate, the number of new government programs created, and the share of total spending exempted from so-called “PAYGO” provisions as a result of Senate action.
In just the three weeks since PAYGO was implemented, the Senate has already approved nearly $120 billion in federal spending to which the nascent law does not apply. Taxpayers deserve to know how much of their money the Senate has agreed to spend. Displaying that information prominently on the Senate’s website, including spending that has not been offset by cuts elsewhere and information on new programs, will encourage accountability to the people who pay government’s bills.
We understand that a weak side-by-side “transparency” amendment will also be offered. Unfortunately, that amendment would simply require links to existing online research from the Congressional Budget Office, failing to provide taxpayers with any new information. Senators seeking worthwhile reform should not be fooled by this diversionary tactic.
A “YES” vote on the Coburn Amendment (#3358) to H.R. 4213, the tax extenders bill, will be significantly weighted as a pro-taxpayer vote in our annual Rating of Congress.
If you have any questions, please contact NTU Director of Government Affairs Andrew Moylan at (703) 683-5700.