John Boehner, June 16, 2006

Many American consumers faced higher energy prices when a flawed federal law forced a hydroelectric power company to spend $77 million to save twenty salmon. You’re reading that right: $77 million, or $3.85 million per fish. Another federal program paid people to plant trees. The cost to taxpayers for that boondoggle? $30 million.

Those are just two of the many outrageous examples of waste, fraud, and abuse in federal spending highlighted in a 61-page report I released last week.

The report, titled "Target: Waste, Fraud, and Abuse," was released as the House takes action on the "Spring Cleaning" project proposed by Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-IL). It highlights many recent examples where House committees have exercised their congressional oversight responsibility to expose -- and in many cases, eliminate -- billions in wasteful spending on unnecessary federal programs. These steps have saved billions of dollars for American taxpayers. At the same time, it has shown the need for further oversight by Congress of the vast federal bureaucracy.

The federal government of today is far more expansive and intrusive than the Founding Fathers ever envisioned it would be. As the size and scope of government has ballooned, so has the potential for waste. For this reason, Congress’ obligation to closely monitor the use of taxpayer funds in the functions of government is more important now than at any other point in our nation’s history.

Numerous committees are holding oversight hearings now, including the Homeland Security Committee which is examining waste, fraud, and abuse in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The Agriculture Committee is looking at waste in the crop insurance program. The Education & the Workforce Committee is holding an oversight hearing on workplace safety. And the Ways & Means Committee is holding an oversight hearing to evaluate the new Medicare prescription drug benefit.

The goal of our report was to identify some of our successes in rooting out waste and bring attention to them. Why? To lend some fuel to the drive for further reform. Effective oversight is only one part of a larger effort to fundamentally change the way Congress spends taxpayer dollars -- more action needs to be taken if we’re going to get control of federal spending.

Next week, the House is expected to consider several bills as part of our "Spring Cleaning" project, including the line item veto. These important reforms complement the efforts we’ve already taken -- including earmark reforms and the "rainy day" funds for disaster response -- which support our efforts as well.

We’re more engaged now in reining in federal spending than we have been in a long time. The House approved a budget aimed at holding the line on spending and reducing the deficit. We passed a deficit reduction bill that will slow the growth of federal spending by more than $40 billion over five years. We approved important reforms that bring more sunshine and more accountability to the earmark process in order to help Congress determine worthy projects from worthless pork. We have also passed eight of 11 FY 2007 appropriations bills, holding the line on spending and eliminating wasteful programs.

Reversing the culture in Washington that believes the solution to every problem involves more government and more spending is not easy, but we’re taking several important steps to ensure that Congress spends taxpayer dollars wisely.

Congressman John Boehner is the House Majority Leader. Boehner, a Republican, represents Ohio's Eighth Congressional District, which includes Miami, Butler, Preble, Darke, and Mercer Counties.