Shuster Statement on House Vote to Defund ACORN

Today, Congressman Bill Shuster joined 344 of his colleagues to pass a Republican Motion to Recommit that prohibits ACORN from receiving any federal funds, including federal grants or contracts.

“Today, House Republicans acted in unison to force Congress to stop taxpayer dollars from being used to support ACORN’s illicit activities.

With new revelations coming out about this corrupt organization every day, it is clear that the federal government should sever any remaining ties with ACORN. The Department of Justice should be called in to investigate the group and the Internal Revenue Service should move forward with a comprehensive audit of the organization.”

House Republicans Call on Congress to Defund ACORN

Shuster Calls on Congress to Cut Funding for ACORN

Today, Congressman Bill Shuster signed on as a cosponsor to the “Defund ACORN Act;” legislation to terminate all federal funding directed at ACORN and its affiliated groups.

“ACORN has been at the center of a growing controversy over charges that the group has orchestrated voter registration fraud and has engaged in other illicit behavior,” Shuster said. “The evidence continues to mount against ACORN and American taxpayers should be worried.”

Recent media reports including video of ACORN employees in New York and Washington, DC giving illegal advice to two filmmakers posing as a prostitute and a pimp prompted the U.S. Census Bureau to end its partnership with ACORN last Friday. Yesterday, the Senate voted 83-7 to cut off Housing and Urban Development funding slated for ACORN.

A recent analysis of federal data by House Minority Leader John Boehner found that ACORN has received over $53 million in direct funding from the federal government since 1994 and may have received millions more in indirect funding through state and local grant programs.

“ACORN and its affiliates have demonstrated time and again that they are completely incapable of using taxpayer money in a responsible and legal manner. They should be investigated by Congress and the Justice Department and their funding should be cut off immediately.”