Mulvaney sends back $160,000

from U.S. District 5 Rep. Mick Mulvaney’s office
U.S. District 5 Rep. Mick Mulvaney is giving back more than $160,000 – about 11 percent of the money his office was allotted in 2011 – to help pay down the national debt.
Mulvaney is joining other freshmen congressmen, who are also returning their leftover money. The eight conservative freshmen members are asking House Speaker John Boehner to do the same with his office’s leftover money – about $1.5 million.
This leftover money usually sits in a shared fund for two years before being transferred to the Treasury.
“Following this procedure at a time when our public debt surpasses the size of our very economy makes little fiscal sense and is a poor representation of this House’s commitment to fiscal responsibility,” the freshmen congressmen wrote in a letter to Boehner.
“Not only could the savings from House, Senate and other government agency offices’ unused funds put a dent in the national debt – it goes towards the larger point,” Mulvaney said. “I was elected on a promise to change the way Washington works. And for far too long, Washington’s red tape has led to out-of-control spending and increasing debt.
“With our national debt now topping $15.3 trillion, it’s time to lead by example, and change the way Washington does business.”
Joining Mulvaney in his request were fellow South Carolina Rep. Jeff Duncan, Rep. Tim Huelskamp (Kan.-1), Rep. Raul Labrador (Ind.-1), Rep. Jeff Landry (LA-3), Rep. Steve Southerland (Fla.-2), Rep. Joe Walsh (Ill.-8) and Rep. Kevin Yoder (Kan.-3).
The average amount returned was $181,500, or 12.63 percent, of the members’ budgets.