From POLITICO:
Rep. Hal Rogers (R-Ky.) is on his second round of lobbying for the Appropriations Committee chairmanship, sending out a letter that defends his ideas for fiscal austerity after years on the spending panel.
Rogers is pitching himself as someone who will crack down on spending, and he’s laying out a plan to increase the oversight role of Appropriations while reducing the committee’s staff to save money.
“The past few years, the agencies and department heads have been given a free ride,” he writes in a letter obtained by POLITICO, which was sent to Republican lawmakers Monday. “Known as a tough legislator, Rogers will correct the lack of scrutiny and examination of agency budgets and initiatives and hold the administration’s feet to the fire. No free passes or untouchable programs.”
The letter promises that Rogers will “strengthen the investigative staff to root out waste and failing initiatives.”
A Rogers spokeswoman said Rogers wants to devote one staff member to poring through spending bills to look for items that should be cut.
The people have spoken, the world heard us now the question becomes, will we be able to watch lawmakers closely enough to make certain that they don't backslide?
I'm all for giving Hal the chance to show that we here in Kentucky send the best legislators in the nation to Washington, men and women responsive to the will of the governed.
With Hal chairing the spending committee, Mitch leading the republicans and Rand Paul calling them as he sees them, we in Kentucky are poised to be recognized as the home of America's great leaders. If only......
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