FreedomWorks Calls on Congress to Fund Katrina Relief by Cutting Pork Barrel Spending

Today, FreedomWorks calls on Congress to exercise fiscal responsibility by curtailing and eliminating wasteful pork barrel projects and unnecessary federal programs in order to fully fund the Katrina disaster relief efforts without increasing the federal budget deficit.

“In order for Congress to do all that it can to address the immediate needs of Katrina victims, members of Congress must make the choice between Katrina relief efforts and pork barrel projects,” said FreedomWorks President and CEO Matt Kibbe. “This is difficult because some in Congress think they can spend scarce resources on wasteful pork, superfluous programs, and disaster relief. Unfortunately, we can’t have it all.”

Kibbe further commented: “Congress needs act responsibly and do what’s right. Katrina relief efforts will be expensive and it is not fair to the victims and to taxpayers to hit them with a larger bill because Congress continues to wastefully dole out tax dollars on random programs that serve no national purpose. Let’s put the money where it is needed. Federally funded Katrina relief efforts have already cost the average U.S. household over $600, and that amount is expected to rise. Congress must lighten the burden on American taxpayers by cutting wasteful projects and unnecessary programs.”

Thus far, Congress has appropriated over $60 billion in hurricane relief and speculation in the media has emerged that more funding is a possibility. Some observers predict federal relief spending to be well over $100 billion.