Washington, D.C. - U.S. Congressman Kevin Brady (R-TX) - a long time advocate for cutting wasteful government spending and reducing the size of big government - today scored an important victory as his Federal Sunset Act was passed by the House Government Reform Committee paving the way for House floor action next week.

 

"The federal government is too big, too fat and too wasteful. In a time of war and deficits, we need to make every dollar count. A bipartisan federal sunset law is a proven, thoughtful way to abolish obsolete federal programs, eliminate duplication and hold every federal agency accountable to taxpayers," said Brady.

 

"Best of all, under this act there are no sacred cows. Every agency is held equally accountable and must regularly prove to taxpayers that it deserves our precious tax dollars today. The days where federal programs live to eternity whether they are needed or not will be over."

 

Brady's bill, H.R. 3282 The Abolishment of Obsolete Agencies and Federal Sunset Act, or Sunset Act for short, establishes a Federal Sunset Commission to abolish obsolete agencies and programs and eliminates duplication in government.  The Federal Sunset Commission would be comprised of a 12-member bipartisan commission consisting of eight members of Congress and four private citizens.

 

"It's a simple concept. Each and every federal government agency must justify its existence -- not its value when it was created 100 years ago ... or 40 years ago ... or even 20 years ago. They must prove that they deserve our tax dollars today," said Brady.

 

Two years previous to the sunset date, the commission examines each agency's need, value, cost-effectiveness and level of customer service. Then citizens, taxpayers, and state and local officials are given a chance to testify through hearings and the legislative framework. After a thorough evaluation, the commission recommends to Congress that an agency be reauthorized, streamlined, consolidated or eliminated.

 

"Federal agencies that outlive their usefulness or refuse to spend tax dollars efficiently are a burden on the American taxpayer and must be eliminated," said Brady.

 

Congressman Brady's federal sunset legislation is co-sponsored by 109 members of Congress, both Republican and Democrat, and supported by groups like Citizens Against Government Waste, Citizens for a Sound Economy and was recommended by President Bush to be included in the federal budget.

 

Placing a sunset on government agencies and programs was first implemented by the state of Colorado in 1976.  Since then roughly half of all states, including Texas, have some form of active sunset legislation.  In Texas, the sunset process has eliminated 52 agencies and saved taxpayers more than $784 million.