Just because he has it, doesn’t mean Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul feels compelled to spend every cent Uncle Sam gives him to run his Senate office.

Following past practice, Paul today said he returned $480,000 in unused money to the Treasury, bringing his total sent back to $1.8 million, certainly a point he will cheer in his 2016 campaign for the Republican nomination.

Here’s the release his office just sent out:

Sen. Paul Announces Taxpayer Savings: Returns $480,000 to U.S. Treasury from Office Budget

Has returned $1.8 million since taking office

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Sen. Rand Paul today announced that he has returned $480,000 to the United States Treasury – money unspent from his official operating budget in 2014. He made the announcement while speaking to young professionals this morning in Louisville, Ky.

Since taking office in January 2011, from his Senate office budget, Sen. Paul has returned:

— $1.8 million to the U.S. Treasury in cumulative yearly operating budget savings

— $170,000 more through sequester cuts in 2013

— 17% of his total budget to taxpayers

“Washington has put out-of-control and reckless spending on autopilot and I have pledged to Kentuckians that I will do everything I can to stop it,” said Sen. Paul. “I will continue to lead the fight to rein in government spending, both in my own office budget and my votes in the U.S. Senate.”