AFP’s Stop Overspending Campaign Urges Sen. Wicker to Cut Spending, Support Rescission

Jun 20, 2018 by AFP

JACKSON, Miss. – Following the House passage of H.R. 3, the Spending Cuts to Expired and Unnecessary Programs Act, Americans for Prosperity-Mississippi (AFP-MS) is running digital ads urging Sen. Wicker to approve the bill that would save taxpayers about $15 billion in unspent funds from previous years.

Sen. Wicker has often made comments supporting Congress’ fiscal restraint. In response to an announcement by the Treasury Department that the budget deficit in 2010 surpassed $1.3 trillion, Sen. Wicker released a statement proclaiming the announcement, “confirms what Americans have been warning all along – Washington is dangerously spending more than we can afford.”

Sen. Wicker voted to approve the $1.3 trillion omnibus bill in March 2018. This marked the first year federal spending exceeded $4 trillion in any given year.

In 2011, Sen. Wicker released a statement urging his colleagues to “make tough choices of themselves,” calling for members to cut their office budget and put the savings towards paying down the debt saying, “If we are going to solve our fiscal problems, we must start by demonstrating we are committed to reduce spending, so I am calling on all members of the Senate to cut their office budget…”

The digital ads, which targets a large swath of Republican and Democrat senators, is a continuation of AFP’s Stop Overspending campaign. AFP launched a similar effort earlier this month urging House members to support the bill.

AFP-MS State Director Russ Latino issued the following statement:

“During previous administrations, Sen. Wicker was focused on cutting spending and curbing our ‘dangerous’ spending habits. We’d like to see that commitment now. The rescission bill put forward by the President and approved by the House is a very modest first step toward getting spending under control.

“Sen. Wicker played a large role in delivering once-in-a-generation tax reform. That’s a net benefit to Mississippians. Now Congress must do the hard work of keeping wasteful federal spending in check so that future generations are not swallowed by debt.”

View Sen. Wicker’s ad here

While tax reform was a significant achievement for hard-working Americans, AFP has long-advocated the importance of pairing tax cuts with spending restraint to grow the economy and improve the lives of all Americans. Unchecked spending in Washington threatens to undermine economic growth.

AFP’s digital ads encouraging support for rescission started Tuesday and focus on Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Dean Heller (R-NV), John Hoeven (R-ND), Roy Blunt (R-MO), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Marco Rubio (R-FL), John Thune (R-SD), Richard Shelby (R-AL), and Democrat Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Bob Casey (D-PA), Joe Donnelly (D-IN), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), Doug Jones (D-AL), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Bill Nelson (D-FL), Tina Smith (D-MN), Claire McCaskill (D-MO) and Jon Tester (D-MT).

The launch of AFP’s “Stop Overspending” campaign over Memorial Day recess included robust digital, direct-mail, print, and radio advertising in congressional districts across the country. President Trump’s $15.3 billion rescission plan proposed earlier this month presents an opportunity for lawmakers to demonstrate fiscal responsibility by supporting this modest attempt to undo some of the overspending damage.

BACKGROUND:

AFP Launches Major Campaign Against Wasteful Government Spending

Stop Overspending Campaign Urges House to Support Rescission

AFP Praises House for Passing Rescission Package