Obama orders 20 percent drop in agency spending

WASHINGTON, Nov. 9 (UPI) -- U.S. President Barack Obama Wednesday signed an executive order aimed at reducing spending by federal agencies by 20 percent.

The order directs federal agencies to reduce travel by expanding use of teleconferencing, limit the number of cellphones and other electronic devices provided to individual employees, reduce document printing by making material available online, reduce the number of vehicles used by employees and stop spending taxpayer funds on plaques, clothing and other "swag."

"This executive order builds on the progress that has already been made through the Campaign to Cut Waste," the White House said in a statement, adding the administration is on track to save $3.5 billion in fiscal 2012.

Four federal employees are in contention for this year's Securing Americans Value and Efficiency award:

-- Matthew Ritsko, a NASA employee from Maryland, who suggested pooling tools to avoid duplicative purchases;

-- Eileen Hearty, a Housing and Urban Development employee from Colorado, who suggested eliminating annual inspections of superior-rated properties;

-- Kevin Korzenieski, a Treasury employee in Washington, who suggested an end to U.S. Code book purchases for new attorneys since the information is available online, and

-- Faith Stanfield, a Social Security Administration employee from Ohio, who suggested Social Security drop printing and mailing OASIS magazine, making it available online instead.

"From the day I took office, I've said we're going to comb the federal budget, line by line, to eliminate as much wasteful spending as possible," Obama said, adding, "We're cutting what we don't need so that we can invest in what we do need."