I Want 20% Less Spending on Swag: Obama

Tasks federal agencies with trimming the fat in four other areas, too

By Kate Seamons, Newser Staff

Posted Nov 9, 2011 6:59 AM CST

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I Want 20% Less Spending on Swag: Obama — Barack Obama walks across the South Lawn after arriving on the South Lawn of the White House November 8, 2011 in Washington, DC. (Getty Images)

If you happen to be sipping from a promotional coffee cup bestowed on you by a federal agency, hang on to it: You might not be getting a new one anytime soon. As part of his "We Can't Wait" campaign, President Obama will today announce his latest effort: slashing waste. The president will sign an executive order tasking federal agencies with reducing spending by 20% in five areas that have been identified by a Joe Biden-helmed task force as particularly fatty: travel, technology, printing, autos, and swag. USA Today and Politico dig into the nitty gritty:

Travel: The upside: fewer TSA-induced headaches, as federal agencies will be urged to turn to teleconferences and videoconferences whenever possible.
Technology: Employees will be asked to streamline the number of smartphones, laptops, and/or tablets they cart around.
Printing: If it can be posted online ... post it online.
Autos: The government spends $9 million annually to ferry itself around DC. The numbers of cars will be reduced, and each senior official will get just one driver.
Swag: Say ta-ta to some "non-essential items used for promotional purposes," including clothing, plaques, pens, and mugs.

Click to read about another part of Obama's We Can't Wait campaign. (More Barack Obama stories.)

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