To make 1 percent across-the-board rescissions in non-defense, non-homeland-security discretionary spending for fiscal year 2006.

Mr. Speaker, the other day the President spoke out in support of across-the-board spending cuts as an option for reducing Federal spending. I want to applaud the President for joining us on this issue. On October 20, I wrote a letter of thanks to the President, thanking him for supporting across-the-board spending reductions.

In September, along with two of my colleagues, I introduced H.R. 3903, H.R. 3904, and H.R. 3906, 1, 2, and 5 percent across-the-board reduction bills for nondefense, non-Homeland Security discretionary spending. We have 18 members signed as co-sponsors, and I hope to continue building support for the reductions. Every Member in this body should be able to support at least a 1 percent reduction.

This House leadership has actively pushed to rein in spending, and I hope my colleagues will join me in supporting these bills.

House of Representatives,

Washington, DC, October 20, 2005.

Hon. George W. Bush,

The White House,

Washington, DC.

Dear President Bush: Thank you for promising to work with

Congress to offset costs for Gulf Coast reconstruction with

spending cuts. I know that you and I are committed to act in

a fiscally responsible way in paying for the reconstruction

efforts.

In your speech on October 4th from the Rose Garden, you

stated that you want Congress to pay for as much of the

hurricane relief as possible by cutting spending and that you

will work with Congress to identify offsets to free up money

for the reconstruction efforts. You also called on Congress

to make real cuts in non-security spending.

Mr. President, I have introduced three bills that are

significant first steps towards meeting your goals. The bills

would enact across-the-board 1%, 2%, and 5% reductions in

non-defense and non-homeland security discretionary spending.

I believe that by working together on these proposals we can

show the American people that you and I are dedicated to

exercising spending restraint to prevent more federal debt

passing on to future generations.

Thank you for your attention to this matter, and I look

forward to working with you during the coming months.

Sincerely,

Marsha Blackburn,

Member of Congress.

Mr. Speaker, last week I received a call from a constituent, and she said, As you are looking at Hurricane Katrina, I want you to remember something. My grandmother used to say, Mind your pennies and your dollars will take care of themselves.

How very true, and in that regard, I filed three bills yesterday, one I think every Member of the House can decide they can support, H.R. 3903, H.R. 3904 and H.R. 3906. Each calls for across-the-board spending reductions in non-defense, non-homeland security discretionary spending.

H.R. 3903 is a 1 percent reduction which would be a $4 billion savings for the year. Two percent is the H.R. 3904 bill. That is an $8 billion savings. $21.5 billion could be saved with H.R. 3906, which is a 5 percent reduction.

One of the things we know, Mr. Speaker, is that across-the-board reductions work. The bureaucrats in buildings are called upon to be responsive to the taxpayers to account for how they are spending every single penny that they are being appropriated.

So I encourage all the Members of the body to join me in cosponsoring H.R. 3903, H.R. 3904 and H.R. 3906 and reduce our Federal outlays.