Pelosi & Reid Are Porkers of the Month

Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) has named Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) Porkers of the Month for leading a do-nothing Congress into a five-week recess. Of the 106 bills enacted since January, 94 -- or 89% -- were to name government buildings or lands, extend or make technical corrections to existing laws, or passed either by unanimous consent or with less than 10 dissenting votes. The dubious accomplishments include “Frank Sinatra Day,” “National Plumbing Industry Week,” and “National Day of the Cowboy.” In addition, the congressional leaders have deliberately ignored the October 1 deadline for passing the 12 annual appropriations bills. Only one of the bills has passed the House, and the House Appropriations Committee has approved only four others. In the Senate, the Appropriations Committee has approved nine, but none has reached the floor. The Speaker and Majority Leader appear to be awaiting the presidential election, hoping that the winner will favor higher spending and more earmarks. They had also wanted to avoid a vote on the moratorium on offshore oil drilling, which is typically renewed through the appropriations process, though they reversed course last week and said they would allow a vote. For leaving town after Congress has spent nearly all of its time on frivolous legislation and failing to address critical issues, CAGW names Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid the August 2008 Porkers of the Month. Read more about the Porker of the Month.

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