Press Releases

Today, Rep. Jack Bergman (R-MI) and Rep. Ed Case (D-HI) sent a letter to President Joe Biden, urging him to address the growing national debt by establishing a modern-day Grace Commission to root out government waste and inefficiencies.

Rep. Bergman’s bipartisan letter was co-signed by 34 Members of Congress. It features the formal support of advocacy groups including: Americans for Tax Reform, Digital Liberty, Citizens Against Government Waste, National Taxpayers Union, Americans for Prosperity, FreedomWorks, Taxpayers Protection Alliance, and Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.  

In the letter, the bipartisan Members asked that President Biden take action with respect to the looming debt crisis by forming a federal advisory committee composed of private sector citizens, funded by the private sector at no cost to taxpayers, and tasked with reporting on opportunities to cut waste and improve efficiency in the federal government.

This idea is not new - as President Reagan convened a President's Private Sector Survey on Cost Control in 1982 for this same purpose. The committee became known as the “Grace Commission” and issued a report with thousands of recommendations on reforms which together could result in significant cost savings at the federal level.

The Members noted in part, “America expects that its government can multitask, working to mitigate multiple economic catastrophes current and future generations may be forced to confront. We are confident private citizens from across our Nation stand ready to assist you in forming regulatory and legislative recommendations to make our government more cost efficient.”

You can read the full letter here

Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW) President Tom Schatz said, “As the nation continues to grapple with the economic effects of a global pandemic, and the federal government may spend up to $5.7 trillion on COVID-19 relief, it is more critical than ever for federal agencies to reduce unnecessary costs and eliminate mismanagement of the taxpayers’ money.  CCAGW supports the efforts of Reps. Jack Bergman, Ed Case and other members of Congress to urge President Biden to convene a new President’s Private Sector Survey on Cost Control.  Implementation of the commission’s recommendations would help to create a more effective and efficient federal government."

Grover G. Norquist, President, Americans for Tax Reform stated, "The 'Grace Commission' in the 1980s was a great example of common sense, bi-partisanship and public service by Americans from all walks of life.  It is a model of what works.  Success is always worth repeating."

“National Taxpayers Union is proud to support this bipartisan letter urging President Biden to create a 21st century “Grace Commission.” As the nation’s debt rapidly approaches $30 trillion, our elected officials must do everything in their power to address this significant problem. Ensuring taxpayer dollars are used effectively and not wasted, as this letter proposes, must be the priority as we begin tackling the nation’s habit of spending beyond its means,” said the National Taxpayers Union.

FreedomWorks President Adam Brandon stated, "We applaud Representatives Bergman and Case for asking President Biden to set up a commission similar to former President Reagan's Grace Commission, which gave recommendations on bettering the operations of the Executive Branch. They are absolutely correct to cite the national debt as a primary reason why this commission is necessary. Now more than ever, it is critical that our federal government leave no area untouched in looking for ways to address our national debt, no matter how small. We look forward to President Biden answering this call."

“We commend Representatives Bergman and Case for looking to the American people for ideas to improve the federal government’s operations. An engaged public can help both executive branch officials and Congress reduce governmental waste and improve efficiency,” said Maya MacGuineas, President of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.

"With a debt of more than $27 trillion, it is imperative that a new Grace Commission be established so taxpayers know where their hard-earned dollars are being spent. We applaud Rep. Bergman for this letter, which every member of Congress should support,” said David Williams, President of Taxpayers Protection Alliance.