GOP Wants to Keep Funding for NASCAR
According to McClatchy Newspapers, Rep. Betty McCollum (D-Minnesota), who is working to end the Pentagon's sponsorship of NASCAR teams, has come up against opposition from the Department of Defense and GOP lawmakers who say funding the race car teams helps military recruitment and could help save jobs through tax breaks. McCollum said giving NASCAR teams and track owners benefits doesn't offset other cuts to community health care and programs for homeless veterans. In 2010 and 2011, racetrack owners received $45 million in tax breaks to help improve their facilities, and will continue receiving them for the next two years. "We should take a critical eye and a critical look and say, 'Is this an appropriate role for the government?' " McCollum said. Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-North Carolina) disagreed, stating, "This is more about her disdain for NASCAR than it really is about saving taxpayers' money." McCollum's amendment to prohibit federal funds for NASCAR teams failed in the House this month, but McCollum said she'll continue filing legislation.
Coburn Praises GAO Report on Wasteful Spending
Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Oklahoma) on Tuesday praised a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report that found 34 major areas of wasteful spending, The Hill reports. Coburn said the findings could help save the government $100 billion or more without cutting services. "GAO has identified the mother lode of government waste and duplication that should keep Congress busy the rest of the year," Coburn said. Among the 34 areas cited in the report are fragmented economic development programs, unregulated federal transportation programs, a need for streamlining intelligence gathering by the military and Homeland Security, duplication in job training programs, a lack of coordination of federal homeless programs and fragmented financial literacy programs.
rest at http://www.truth-out.org/news-brief-gop-wants-keep-funding-nascar-and-more68142
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