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Scalise passes amendment to zero out funding for Open World Leadership Center

June 8, 2012

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Steve Scalise today successfully passed an amendment on the House floor zeroing out funding for the Open World Leadership Center (OWLC). Since 2000, the OWLC has received $150 million from the federal government to pay for government officials from foreign countries to visit the US. The OWLC received $10 million from the federal government last year and was set to receive $1 million this year despite years of bipartisan support for closing the center.

“Since 2009, Democrats and Republicans alike have been trying to eliminate funding for the Open World Leadership Center, and I’m glad we finally passed an amendment to zero out this wasteful Washington spending and start reducing the deficit,” Scalise said. “The fact that the Open World Leadership Center was going to get $1 million of taxpayer money just so that their seven employees could shut the doors, turn out the lights, and close the center down represents exactly what’s wrong with Washington. How many small businesses across the country facing tough economic times are given a $1 million check by hard-working taxpayers to shut their doors? This twisted Washington logic cannot be allowed to continue, and I’m proud to spearhead another effort to reduce wasteful Washington spending and finally eliminate this program.”