McIntyre Backs Bill To Save Taxpayers $125 Billion Annually -- Cuts Down on Waste, Fraud, and Abuse

Press Release

Yesterday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bipartisan bill that could save taxpayers $125 billion annually by helping to eliminate improper payments, among other provisions.

Congressman McIntyre was as an original co-sponsor of H.R. 4053, the Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Improvement Act (IPERIA), will better identify, prevent and recover payment error, waste, fraud and abuse within federal spending.

The bill, which unanimously passed the House on a vote of 402 to 0, was endorsed by the fiscally conservative, Democratic Blue Dog Coalition in February of which McIntyre is a member.

Congressman McIntyre stated, "Controlling spending and saving taxpayer money is something that we should always be striving to do. This bi-partisan bill shows that when Democrats and Republicans unite together we can get the work done for the American people, stop unnecessary spending, help strengthen our economy, and create jobs."

According to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), federal agencies reported an estimated $125.4 billion in improper payments in FY2010. Among many other provisions, this new bill will help federal agencies cut down on wasteful spending by creating a government-wide Do Not Pay List to block improper payments before they go out and to stop payments to deceased individuals.

This legislation builds on a similar improper payments law passed last year, the Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Act of 2010, which was part of the Blue Dogs' Blueprint for Fiscal Reform -- a 15-point plan to balance the budget and lay the groundwork for sound fiscal policies over the long term.

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