EXCLUSIVE: Conservative Groups Urge Congress to ‘Avoid Fake Spending Cut Gimmicks’

FIRST ON THE DAILY SIGNAL—A coalition of conservative organizations, led by a think tank founded by former Vice President Mike Pence, is warning Congress against using “gimmicks” to cut spending.

The coalition, led by Advancing American Freedom, praises Congress’ efforts to cut spending, but urges it to make cuts that will last.

“We stand ready to work with you to seriously cut federal spending, reduce the size and impact of the federal government—and start shrinking the debt, on which current and future Americans are paying unconscionable amounts of interest,” the letter says.

Last week, the House and Senate budget committees passed competing budget resolution frameworks with the goal of unlocking the reconciliation process.

The Senate bill would also require at least $4 billion in spending cuts to accompany new funds for the border and defense. 

The House framework, which President Donald Trump has publicly supported, would include up to $200 billion for border and immigration spending, along with an adjustable cap of $4 trillion in tax cuts and a $4 trillion debt limit increase. Congress would have to cut $1.5 trillion of spending.

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“We applaud your ongoing efforts to significantly cut federal spending, particularly through the reconciliation process,” the letter from the conservative coalition reads. “But we believe that the federal government’s fiscal situation is dire. The time is now to make the hard choices necessary to put our nation’s fiscal house back in order.”

But Congress must “avoid fake spending cut gimmicks,” such as “[r]epealing spending that was never or most likely never going to be spent anyway” and “[l]oading up spending cuts into years beyond the current Congress, which, history shows, will not happen.”

The letter also warns against “[s]hifting the timing, yet not the reality, of spending” and “[i]mplementing other gimmicks intended to mislead your colleagues and the public into thinking that the spending cuts are bigger than they actually will be.”

Signers of the letter, along with Advancing American Freedom, include the Taxpayer Protection Alliance, Job Creators Network, the State Financial Officers Foundation, the National Center for Public Policy Research, Americans for Limited Government, the Conservative Caucus, the American Lands Council, and ConservativeHQ.com.

Trump campaigned on cutting “waste, fraud, and abuse” from the federal government, and his new Department of Government Efficiency says it has cut $55 billion already.

More than 6 in 10 voters think Trump and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency will significantly reduce federal government spending over the next year, according to new polling from the Napolitan News Service, conducted by Scott Rasmussen at RMG Research.