Release from Congressman Tim Huelskamp:
(WASHINGTON) — Congressman Tim Huelskamp (R-KS) participated in a news conference on Wednesday morning with several leaders of the freshman class. During the event, these eight members announced that combined they would return more than $1 million in unused Member Representational Allowances (MRAs). Congressman Huelskamp announced that after his first year in office, he would return roughly 10 percent of the $1.42 million allocated to his DC and three district offices. Final numbers will be available in late February. The money Congressman Huelskamp is returning is on top of the 5 percent cut he and his colleagues in the House voted for their 2011 budgets. They passed a similar 5 percent cut for their 2012 budgets.
During the news conference, participating members added a twist: they announced they would ask Speaker Boehner to dedicate the funds toward paying down the debt. Typically, money is just returned to the U.S. Treasury. Following the news conference, they hand-delivered the formal letter requesting this change in policy.
“Each of us ran on the idea of shrinking the size and scope of government, and today’s announcement that eight of us will return more than $1 million not only says something, it saves something,” Congressman Huelskamp said after the news conference. “Not only have we already voted to cut our budgets for this year and last, but now combined the eight of us alone are returning more than $1 million to the American people. This is the taxpayers’ money, not a slush fund. We owe it to the American people to be wise with their funds over the course of the year and then to see that the unused money is used wisely. By asking Speaker Boehner to use this excess money to pay down the debt, we are making a small – but more than symbolic – attempt to prevent the next generation from having to deal with the fallout of today’s reckless spending and borrowing.”
Congressman Tim Huelskamp is a freshman representing the First District of Kansas. He serves on the House Budget, Agriculture, and Veterans’ Affairs Committees, and he is a member of the House Republican Study Committee.