(Washington, D.C.) -- Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) today called on Congress to let all non-defense related federal programs and agencies live at 2002 spending levels by scrapping the $390 billion omnibus appropriations bill now moving to conference.  Congress would then pass a continuing resolution (CR) at last year's amount to fund government through Sept. 30, the end of the fiscal year.

"For four months now, the government has been operating at last year's spending levels, and guess what?" CAGW President Tom Schatz said.  "Essentially, no one in the country has noticed or cares.  Since Congress can't get this bill passed without inserting billions in last-minute add-ons and pork, it's time to pull the plug on the big spenders and greedy special interests by freezing spending and moving on."

"Since the Pentagon's appropriation passed last fall, defense needs are covered," Schatz continued.  "For truly emergency items related to Medicare, war, or homeland security, Congress will pass a supplemental bill this spring.  As for the rest, with mounting deficits, an eight-month spending hiatus is exactly what the doctor ordered."

Aside from the benefit of reducing federal budget baselines in 2004, a spending freeze would prevent appropriators from inserting unauthorized earmarks to send cash back to favored interest groups.  For fiscal 2002, House and Senate appropriators distributed a record $20 billion in such pork projects, and preliminary analysis indicates fiscal 2003 could approach that figure.

Defense spending from fiscal 2002 to 2003 rose a generous 4.5 percent, not including the costs of a possible war.  In 2004, the Pentagon is requesting an additional 4.1 percent.  Simultaneously, year over year non-defense discretionary spending is slated to increase from $385 billion to more than $390 billion.      

"Most Americans are not even aware Congress is gridlocked on appropriations," Schatz also said.  "Those most upset over this are members of Congress, bureaucrats, lobbyists, and special interests, who will be denied more taxpayer cash.  Maybe next year they'll be a little more restrained when they approach the appropriations trough."

Citizens Against Government Waste is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, mismanagement and abuse in government.  Its Prime Cuts publication catalogs $1.27 trillion in federal budget waste in the next five years.

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