Congress

House announces bill to cut more than $100 billion in wasteful spending

Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-Fla.) introduces the third iteration of the SAVE Act with a host of policies for federal agencies designed to cull wasteful spending

Federal News Network Staff

July 24, 2014 5:40 pm

1 min read

By Ariel Levin-Waldman
Special to Federal News Radio

From duplicate software licenses to desktop computers left on after hours, the government burns a lot of money. Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-Fla.) has introduced a bill to save some of that cash. Murphy says the Savings, Accountability, Value, and Efficiency III Act will save $102 billion over a ten year period.

The act creates seven policies that agencies would observe to cut back on costs. First, the Office of Budget and Management would be tasked with creating guidelines for bulk software purchases and eliminating duplicates. Next come energy costs, mandating computers be shut down at least four hours each day, after offices usually close. Current law mandates that computers be kept on all day long.

Murphy says eliminating pensions for bureaucrats who have been convicted on corruption charges will lop $600 million off the budget. He also accuses the government of using the military’s Overseas Contingencies Operations as a slush fund for non-military programs, and says stopping that would save $50 billion. Duplicate payments to seniors simultaneously enrolled in Medicare Advantage and the Veterans Affairs Department are also on the block, to the tune of $30 billion.

Requiring federal buildings to be more energy efficient and offering electronic Medicare billing make up the rest of the SAVE III Act. Combined with the first two SAVE Acts, total savings is expected to be $332 billion.

Ariel Levin-Waldman is an intern with Federal News Radio