Tell your US Rep. and two US Senators NO to political manipulation of procurement process

Citizens Against Government Waste is returning to a fight in Congress they thought they had already won-- open and competitive bidding in the defense procurement process. Yet, despite a scandal, a massive federal fine, and even criminal penalties for some of those involved, Boeing Co. is once again trying to use its political connections in Congress to secure an Air Force refueling tanker contract.

While the $35 billion cost to taxpayers of the tanker contract is significant, more is at stake in this battle than dollars and cents. Letting Congress disrupt the competitive procurement process will set a dangerous precedent for all future federal contracts. Members of Congress will simply select their favored pet contractors, regardless of the cost to taxpayers or the impact on our Armed Forces.

Please tell your U.S. Representative and Senators today that you won’t stand for this blatant political manipulation, by sending a customizeable letter from CAGW's website. Or, call them directly through the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121. Thank you

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Call your two US Senators and ask them to support the Senate Campaign Disclosure Parity Act

Public Citizen is asking us to call our two US Senators, and ask them to support the Senate Campaign Disclosure Parity Act (S.223). It would require all senate candidates, both challengers and incumbents if office, to file their campaign finance reports electronically (as opposed to paper). Just as important, they need to support the bill without the Ensign Amendment, which is unconstitutional.

In addition to bringing technology up-to-date, it would save the American taxpayer $250,000. per year! Call both of your senators right now; you can reach them at the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121. Then, if you can, please leave word with Public Citizen on whether they do already support the bill without the amendment. Thank you

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The 2008 Congressional Pig Book from Citizens Against Government Waste is published

The 2008 Congressional Pig Book Summary is here!

This morning Citizens Against Government (CAGW) shared with the American people the names of those in Congress who are responsible for the 11,610 pork-barrel projects costing you $17.2 billion in the fiscal 2008 budget. They were joined by leading opponents of this congressionally earmarked spending, including Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) and Reps. John Campbell (R-Calif.), Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), Tom Price (R-Ga.), and Paul Ryan (R-Wis.).

Topping this year’s list of outrageous special-interest projects are:

* $4,840,870 for wood utilization research;
* $1,529,220 for the Appalachian Fruit Lab;
* $984,400 for Idaho's strategic plan for managing noxious weeds; and
* $98,000 for a walking tour of Boydton, Va. (population 474).

Earmark reform is a hot topic in Washington these days, yet Congress' taste for spending on personal projects stays. There has been a decrease in earmark spending in the last few years, but over $17B is still a lot of waste in a secretive budgeting process.

For a donation of $25 or more, Citizens Against Government waste can mail you a copy of their annual book. Your contributions also help the work of this non-profit in its fight for fiscal discipline in DC.

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US senator honors fiscal discipline, transparency and accountability

US Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) replied to a letter I wrote to him as a constituent on the issue of spending earmarks. He agreed with me that we need more transparency and accountability in Congress, especially when it comes to spending the taxpayer's money. He co-sponsored the recent one-year earmark moratorium amendment that eventually failed to pass. He says the right words to me as a government reformer, and am honored to have him as one of my senators.

Here is a snippet of that letter of his:

" Members of Congress should have a say in how their constituents’ tax dollars are allocated, but every earmark should be openly debated and voted on. Taxpayers in Texas, and across the country, demand and deserve greater fiscal discipline and accountability in Washington, D.C. I have worked hard during my time in the Senate to reduce the size of government and eliminate wasteful spending—saving taxpayers’ money. Although the Senate did not pass this one-year moratorium amendment, it is my hope that by continuing to work together to fix the broken process by which we allocate federal dollars, Congress will send a clear message to the American people that we are listening.

America’s founding fathers understood a free society could not exist without informed citizens and an open, accessible government. That’s why strengthening government transparency and accountability has been among my highest priorities since coming to the Senate. The more information that we can put in the hands of the American people about what Congress does on a daily basis, the stronger our democracy will be. I can think of no area where accountability is more important than in the process of how Congress spends the money that Texans send to Washington. "

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Check if your Congressmembers' websites include local appropriations (earmarks) forms

According to a recent Americans for Prosperity blog post, at least three Congressmembers have online earmark request forms! That's right, if you are a constituent of these public servants, you can request federal money for non-legislative, locally-based projects online:

Florida Senator Bill Nelson: http://www.billnelson.senate.gov/contact/appropriationsfy09.cfm

Montana Representative Denny Rehberg: http://www.house.gov/rehberg/approps.form.shtml [Page not found]

Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown: http://brown.senate.gov/ohio/constituent_services/spending_request/

Check your own two US Senators' and US Representative's websites to see if they presently offer this same online constituent appropriations "service".

AFP in its post suggests we taxpayers hijack these online forms "to make a statement about just how big a problem earmarks have become (wink wink, nudge, nudge) and to demand transparency for earmark requests before earmarks make it into appropriations reports." I don't know how this may (legally) be done, but we are the owners of this country, and our representatives work for us... it is up to us, ultimately...

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Find out if the IRS owes you money!

The National Taxpayer Union (NTU) has an IRS Tax Refund Finder that allows you to check to see if you're owed a refund on your federal taxes. Try it, you might like it! :)

I've added this free resource to the "Other Government Databases" list in the left column.

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Tell your U.S. Representative NO on national heritage area bill

Kristina Rasmussen of NTU has issued an alert on a U.S. House bill. I believe that now, more than ever, Washington must prioritize its spending on the large entitlements and defense parts of our critical federal budget. If you agree with this alert, contact your U.S. Representative today.

October 23, 2007
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National Taxpayers Union Vote Alert
NTU urges all Members to vote “NO” on H.R. 1483, which would unnecessarily extend the authorization of nine national heritage areas while creating six new areas. NTU testified against H.R. 1483 in committee, and we’re dismayed to see that the bill has grown in both cost and potential harm since introduction.According to promoters, national heritage areas were supposed to be finite, self-reliant programs. H.R. 1483 defies those notions. The bill would extend the authorization for nine existing areas (expected to sunset in 2012) for an additional 15 years (to 2027). Also, H.R. 1483 comes with a price tag of $135 million (up from a pre-committee total of $90 million). Members should keep in mind that this amount is equivalent to the annual federal income tax burden paid by 33,276 middle-class taxpayers with adjusted gross incomes between $30,000 and $75,000.In 1994, the late Representative Bruce Vento (D-MN) rose on the House floor in support of a heritage area bill and said: “There is a limit to the length of time or the amount of money the Federal Government can be in a heritage area. In 10 years, we are out of there. Then they are on their own. …” Congress should honor his pledge by rejecting H.R. 1483.Roll call votes on H.R. 1483 will be significantly weighted in our annual Rating of Congress.

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Tell your Senators to vote YES on an internet tax ban

Citizens Against Government Waste is running a taxpayer alert for a proposed ban on internet taxes. Currently, there are no "internet taxes" by any level of government, such as email tax or internet retail sales tax. Here's what CAGW says; if you agree, please send your letter to both of your U.S. Senators from this webpage.

Dear _,
In less than 10 days, you and I could be paying a tax for sending e-mails. That’s right. The existing moratorium on Internet taxes expires on November 1, 2007, and unless Congress acts, the federal, state, and local governments will be free to tax any aspect of using the Internet -- from going online, to sending and receiving e-mails, to buying and selling goods and services.
I urge you, before you do anything else today, tell your Senators to pass a permanent ban on Internet taxes! The House last week passed a four-year extension of the Internet tax moratorium, and the Senate is scheduled to take up legislation this week. While extending the moratorium is better than letting it lapse, it leaves the door open for eventual taxation and creates a climate of uncertainty for individuals and businesses that rely on the Internet. Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.), John Sununu (R-N.H.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) are pushing Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) to allow a vote on making the Internet tax ban permanent. The Senate needs to hear that Americans like you support a permanent ban! The Internet has become a vital part of our economy and keeping its use tax-free is essential for economic growth. Enacting a permanent ban will provide much-needed consumer and business confidence. It will also keep governments at all levels from tapping into a new pot of money that they can squander on more wasteful spending programs. Time truly is of the essence. Please tell your Senators to support Sens. McCain, Sununu, and Wyden in their drive to make the Internet tax ban permanent!
Sincerely, Thomas A. Schatz, President

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Tell your Congressmen to vote YES on mining law reform

Taxpayers for Common Sense is running a grassroots internet campaign to reform an old mining law that has lost the American taxpayer billions of dollars over the years. Here is their message; then go to their action page for an example letter to send to your representatives:

End Mining Giveaways Support H.R. 2262
There was a time when only pirates made off with billions in someone else’s gold. But thanks to a 135 year old mining law still on the books, some of the world’s biggest corporations are still plundering.
Signed into law by President Ulysses Grant to encourage Western expansion, the 1872 Mining Law has long outlived its original intent. With the Wild West settled and multinational mining companies flourishing, wasteful subsidies continue to flow. Federal land can still be sold dirt cheap (no more than $5/acre!), hardrock miners are uniquely excused from royalty payments for the mineral they extract, and taxpayers are often left with the clean-up bill after expensive environmental damage is abandoned on federal lands.
The Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act of 2007, H.R. 2262, introduced by Rep. Nick Rahall (D-WV), takes steps to reform this age-old law and address these critical issues. The bill imposes a modest eight percent royalty on the value of the gold, silver, and other stones and metals extracted. It prohibits the sale of federal land to hardrock mining companies. And it tackles the steep clean-up costs by establishing standards to minimize damage, requiring more stringent planning and disclosures from mining companies to reduce unforeseen catastrophes, and investing royalty and fee revenues into a fund to help cover these expensive damages.
Write to your Member of Congress today and urge them to cosponsor this important legislation and support these long-awaited reforms.
Take action now.

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Now, citizen oversight of congressional spending

The Sunlight Foundation and Taxpayers for Common Sense have teamed up to offer EarmarkWatch.org: Bringing Citizen Oversight to Congressional Spending.

Although you need to register, it is a free service. Bills that are currently being legislated are broken down; you can analyze your own U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators usage of earmarks.

Earmarks, or porkbarrel spending, are individual appropriations inserted into a bill after it has been legislated; they often are for local or regional pet projects. Earmarks are a reflection of fiscal discipline; you may now check on your own elected officials promises on how he is controlling spending.

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President Bush signs Congressional pension reform bill!

The National Taxpayers Union, who led a grassroots activist campaign, announces victory.

Dear David,
Last year, we told you about how the more than 20 former Members of Congress who had been convicted of serious offenses were allowed to keep drawing benefits from a lavish, taxpayer-funded pension system.
It's bad enough that taxpayers have to cough up for a pension program whose payments are far more generous than what similarly-paid workers in the private sector typically receive, but we thought that handing this cash over to criminals was just wrong.
Thousands of taxpayers joined us in expressing outrage over this matter by sending "no pensions for Congressional felons" letters to their representatives in Washington, D.C.
Thanks to your demands for change, WE GOT IT!
Last week, President Bush signed a bill that contains a version of the "no pensions for Congressional felons" reform we sought.
From here on out, Members of Congress who commit certain felonies (like perjury, bribery, or fraud) related to their official duties won't be allowed to draw from a Congressional pension "honey-pot" that overtaxed American workers are forced to fill.
While the new law doesn't go quite as far as our request for automatically denying taxpayer-funded retirement benefits to a Representative or Senator convicted of any felony, during or after Congressional service, it is a MAJOR IMPROVEMENT to the current law that lets criminals like "Duke" Cunningham and Dan Rostenkowski collect cash from you and me.
Thank you for helping to change things for the better in Washington. You deserve a huge pat on the back!
With many thanks,
John Berthoud, President, National Taxpayers Union

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