Tennessee U.S. Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN-05) is calling on House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA-20) to re-establish the Byrd Committee for the purpose of examining all federal government spending and identifying non-essential funding.
The Byrd Committee, formally known as the Joint Committee on Reduction of Non-Essential Federal Expenditures, existed from 1941 to 1974. The joint committee was a study committee, without legislative authority, according to a report by the Congressional Research Service. The committee’s recommendations on cutting or reducing non essential spending were reported to the House and Senate and submitted to the Appropriations Committees.
“At a time when federal spending is out of control, and Congress truly has no idea where exactly all the money is going, renewed accountability is necessary. Crippling rates of inflation and unprecedented levels of expenditures are destroying the financial well-being of Americans,” Ogles said in an emailed statement. “The re-establishment of a Byrd Committee to identify all of the waste in current and proposed spending would help drive down costs and bring relief to millions of hard-working folks. Furthermore, it would create desperately needed transparency in Washington.”
“I’m calling on Speaker McCarthy to take action and protect the interests of the American people,” Ogles added.
Ogles’ request for the re-formation of the Byrd Committee comes as House Republicans came to a deal on a one-month government funding bill this weekend, according to ABC News. However, as noted by the outlet, it remains unclear if there are enough GOP votes in the House to pass the bill, as many members in the House Freedom Caucus – which includes Ogles – have said they will refuse to vote for a continuing resolution unless it has “conservative policies attached.”
In addition to his Byrd Committee request, Ogles also expressed his desire for three additional requirements for a continuing resolution, including border wall funding; the release of unedited footage from the U.S. Capitol breach on January 6, 2021; and utilization of the Holman Rule to defund DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and U.S. prosecutor Jack Smith.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network.
Photo “Rep Andy Ogles” by Rep Andy Ogles.
