Rep. Tim Griffin (R-Ark.) applauded the recent passage of a spending bill on Wednesday that would cut IRS funding by more than two percent and prohibit funding executive orders that contradict laws.
The House of Representatives recently approved the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act, which would reduce funding for more than a dozen federal agencies and cut discretionary spending by $566 million, or two percent, compared to the 2014 level, according to a press release.
Rep. Ander Crenshaw (R-Fla.), the chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government, introduced the measure.
“With the IRS’s track record of egregious government overreach, this bill keeps the IRS in check, while it also streamlines federal programs, eliminates wasteful spending and helps small businesses grow jobs,” Griffin, a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, said. “The bill cuts IRS funding below 2003 levels, prevents the agency from using funds to target individuals or groups based on political or religious beliefs, inhibits the IRS from implementing Obamacare’s individual mandate and requires policies to safeguard taxpayers’ personal information.”
The measure outlines funding for the Treasury Department, the Judiciary, the Small Business Administration, the SEC, the IRS and the Executive Office of the President, among other agencies.
“(The measure) also prohibits funding for the president’s executive orders that conflict with our current laws and brings transparency to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau,” Griffin said. “This bill reflects Americans’ priorities by reining in the federal government and prioritizing jobs and the economy.”
The bill would fund discretionary spending for the agencies at $2.26 billion, which would be approximately 10 percent lower than the Obama administration’s request. It would also eliminate $37.9 million worth of funding for nine programs.