26 April 2017

The Honorable Cathy McMorris Rodgers

U.S. Representative for Washingtons 5th District
1314 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515

Representative McMorris Rodgers:

On behalf of more than 3.2 million Americans for Prosperity activists in all 50 states, we thank you for
introducing the Unauthorized Spending Accountability (USA) Act of 2017. Congress often fails to fully
scrutinize how taxpayer dollars are directed, your plan to create new checks on the appropriations process is
an important step in improving our nations fiscal health and we applaud your leadership of this effort.

The USA Act will force Congress to evaluate programs and agencies before spending taxpayer dollars on
them. The legislation establishes a glide path to end programs that Congress does not actively examine and
re-approve by phasing in spending cuts over three years. The bill also creates a Spending Accountability
Commission to establish a clear schedule of Congressional authorizations, review permanently authorized
programs, and identify opportunities for increased efficiency.

Under current Congressional rules, federal spending may not be directed to programs or agencies that have
not been explicitly authorized. Unfortunately, Congress has increasingly ignored its own rules. About $35
billion, or 10 percent of Congressionally directed money, was spent on unauthorized agencies and programs
twenty years ago. Last fiscal year alone, Congress directed over $300 billion of taxpayer money 30 percent
of the discretionary budget to more than 250 programs that had not been fully debated.

Separating authorization and the allocation of taxpayer dollars is a vital check on Congressional spending
that ensures only the most thoroughly vetted programs are funded. Policy decisions must be reexamined as
our economy and society change. The USA Acts commonsense approach will ensure that taxpayer dollars
are not spent on programs that have become outdated, inefficient or entirely outlived their purpose. The
nearly one in every three taxpayer dollars that presently lack sufficient oversight will be directed more
responsibly if your legislation is enacted.

Your leadership on this issue is invaluable as the USA Act will secure the Constitutional power of the purse
and restore accountability to Congressional spending. Thank you again for your work on this bill, and we
strongly encourage your colleagues to join your effort as a cosponsor.

Sincerely,

Chrissy Harbin
Vice President of External Affairs
Americans for Prosperity

Americans for Prosperity (AFP) exists to recruit, educate, and mobilize citizens in support of the policies and goals of a free society at the local, state, and
federal level, helping every American live their dream especially the least fortunate. AFP has more than 3.2 million activists across the nation, a local
infrastructure that includes 36 state chapters, and has received financial support from more than 100,000 Americans in all 50 states. For more information,
visit www.AmericansForProsperity.org.