Ernst Calls for End of Taxpayer-Funded Presidential CampaignsNew bill will free up $350 million from unpopular election fund
Yuichiro Kakutani - January 28, 2020 2:15 PMAs candidates prepare to spend billions on the 2020 presidential election, Sen. Joni Ernst (R., Iowa) is working to put to use more than $300 million taxpayer dollars sitting idly in a public campaign fund.
Presidential candidates today may request grants from the taxpayer-funded Presidential Election Campaign Fund to pay for campaign expenses. The fund has accumulated more than $350 million, as no major party candidates have requested public financing in the last 12 years. The Iowa senator has introduced a bill to abolish the fund and divert its money to pay down the national debt.
"Taxpayers see our federal government as spend, spend, spend," Ernst said. "These are taxpayer dollars, let's apply them to our country's debt and move forward. It's over $300 million right now that could be used to close down deficits that we have in our budget."
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https://freebeacon.com/politics/ernst-unveils-plan-to-reduce-government-deficit/