You Cut

You Cut is back and since Republicans are in the majority now, these will actually have a chance of passing. 

End the Underground Railroad Educational and Cultural Program


Saves $10 million over ten years at current spending levels

President Obama has proposed terminating the Underground Railroad Educational and Cultural program which provides grants to nonprofit educational organizations to establish facilities that house, display, and interpret artifacts relating to the history of the Underground Railroad. According to the Administration, "Federal funds provided in prior fiscal years have enabled a number of program grantees to make progress in securing private support by using public-private partnerships and creating endowment funds to support ongoing operations. The types of museum exhibits that are supported by this program are also eligible for funding under several broader grant competitions through the Institute of Museum and Library Services."



End Exchanges with Historic Whaling and Trading Partners Program

Savings of $87.5 million over ten years

The Exchanges with Historic Whaling and Trading Partners program provides non-competitive grants to support culturally-based educational activities “to assist Alaska Natives, native Hawaiians, and children and families living in Massachusetts linked by history and tradition to Alaska and Hawaii, and members of any federally recognized Indian tribe in Mississippi.” The President has proposed terminating this program in part because it is non-competitive in nature, there is no reliable performance data by which to measure the outcomes of the program, and it has “narrow goals [that] are more appropriately served with State, local, and private funding.”


End the Presidential Election Fund

Savings of $520 million over ten years.

The Presidential Election Campaign Fund provides federal tax dollars in the form of matching funds to candidates in Presidential primaries provided the candidates qualify and agree to abide by certain spending and contribution limits. It provides grants to qualifying Presidential candidates in general elections, if they agree not to accept other contributions. The program also provides grants to sponsor national party conventions. In short, it provides taxpayer subsidies to political candidates and parties. Since 2000, some major candidates have chosen to forgo public financing. While some have argued that providing even more taxpayer funding for this program might entice more candidates to participate, eliminating the program all together would save taxpayers $520 million over ten years and would require candidates and political parties to rely on private donations rather than tax dollars. The amount of funding for the public financing system is determined by checkoffs on income tax returns, and taxpayer participation via the checkoffs has declined from 28.7% in 1980 to 7.3% in 2009.

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