The U.S. House of Representatives today will debate Rep. Fred Upton’s (R-St. Joseph) legislation, H.R. 5570, to save taxpayers upwards of $10 billion. Upton’s bill would prohibit the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) from hiring thousands of additional agents and employees to enforce the new health care overhaul, saving taxpayers between $5 to $10 billion over the next ten years. Upton’s measure was the winning proposal selected by tens of thousands of folks across the nation via the groundbreaking YouCut initiative spearheaded by House Republican Whip Eric Cantor (R-VA). Debate on the legislation is expected later this morning.

“Today, we’ll have an opportunity to send a loud and clear message that we should be helping small businesses grow and create jobs rather than doling out billions to the IRS to hire thousands of new bureaucrats,” said Upton. “Rather than spending money we don’t have, we must pursue policies that will grow the economy and create private sector jobs. The fight continues as nearly one million votes have been cast to date in the landmark YouCut effort to rein in out-of-control spending.”

Each week, YouCut offers the public a list of five proposals aimed at reducing government spending.  In turn, participants may vote for the one proposal that they would most like to see addressed by Congress.  The following week, House Republicans will seek a vote on the House Floor on whether or not to take up and debate the top vote getter selected by the public. Votes may be cast online on the Republican Whip’s website at http://republicanwhip.house.gov/YouCut, by text messaging one’s vote to 68398 or by visiting Upton’s website at http://www.house.gov/upton.