Reflecting the wishes of the American people, U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-9) today voted to support a proposal to reduce government employment to 2008 levels, potentially saving taxpayers $35 billion over ten years. The measure was the result of Americans speaking out to Congress through the YouCut website that turns cost-cutting suggestions into legislation.

“Government has been expanding at an alarming rate while the American people are calling for a smaller, more accountable government and now is the time to get things under control,” Luetkemeyer said. “We cannot continue to saddle taxpayers with more government spending and more government bureaucracy.”

The federal government has grown by approximately 188,000 new employees, or about 15 percent, since 2008. This week’s YouCut winner seeks to reduce government employment to 2008 levels by implementing a policy where the government only hires one person for every two who leave civilian government service until the workforce is reduced to pre-Obama levels. The Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, and Veterans Affairs are exempt from this requirement and the proposal would give the president the flexibility to distribute newly hired employees by need.

On the YouCut website each week, Americans have the opportunity to vote on a spending cut, and shortly after all the ideas are processed, Luetkemeyer and his colleagues seek a vote on the most popular spending cut. Luetkemeyer is encouraging folks to visit http://republicanwhip.house.gov/YouCut/and help Washington control government spending.

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