Rep. Kind returns $90,000 in unused budget funds

Kind gives back unused portion of annual office budget

LA CROSSE, Wis. (WKBT) — Wisconsin Representative Ron Kind is trying to find areas for the U.S. government to save some money.

The congressman announced Monday he’s returning $92,587.23 to the U.S. Treasury. The money comes from a portion of his annual office budget that went unused.

Kind has sent back a portion of his office budget every year since taking office. In that time, he’s given back more than one and a half million dollars.

Kind says it’s something other members of Congress should also look into doing.

“I’m encouraging the rest of my colleagues that they should try to continue that and find savings within their own budgets, but also work with me on these other larger reform programs so we can get to some real savings and then bring the budget back into balance again,” said Kind.

Congressional office budgets have been cut by 16% since 2010. The money Kind is giving back is on top of those reductions.