Virginia Foxx: “Mandatory spending programs are the overflowing sinks that have bedeviled Congress for decades on end. Two- thirds of…”

“Mandatory spending programs are the overflowing sinks that have bedeviled Congress for decades on end. Two- thirds of all Federal spending is allocated to mandatory spending programs, and there are few constructive opportunities to curb exceeded cost estimates. While Congress returns to Washington this week to cut spending in exchange for lifting the debt ceiling, far too little attention is being paid to autopilot spending that far outpaces these cuts. My bill, the Spending Safeguard Act, would restore congressional control over mandatory spending increases by establishing program- specific caps for new or reauthorized programs. If a program spends more than what was anticipated, then it needs to be reformed or extinguished. It is that simple. Let's be honest, Mr. Speaker. Congress has a knack for ignoring opportunities to address direct spending head-on. My bill offers a viable pathway to restore both fiscal sanity and fiscal responsibility in Washington. It is time for Congress to act. ____________________”