Today in Washington D. C. - March Feb 5, 2009
The Senate resumed consideration of H.R. 1105, the fiscal year 2009 omnibus appropriations bill. The $410 billion bill combines the 9 unpassed appropriations bills from last year and funds the federal government through September. The previous continuing resolution expires Friday. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid filed cloture on the bill last night. A number of Republican amendments are still pending to the bill and votes could occur on those today.
Yesterday, the Senate rejected four amendments from Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK). Two of the amendments voted down would have required competitive bidding in contracts awarded from funds in the bill, shifted money to funding unsolved civil rights crimes, which Democrats made a big deal about last year and then never funded. Two more would have stripped a number of earmarks from the bill.
This morning's Chicago Tribune editorial accurately frames the situation in Congress, “The Obama administration and Democratic leaders of the House and Senate are blowing the lid off of spending restraint. But they’re finally meeting some resistance within their own party.” The editorial goes on to note yesterday’s Wall Street Journal op-ed by Sen. Evan Bayh (D-IN) and Politico’s report of a meeting of 15 uneasy Democrats. There are even more Democrats, though, beginning to show concern with the bloated omnibus spending bill and perhaps the Obama administration’s budget.
Dow Jones reported yesterday, “Senate Democrats may be facing a tougher-than-expected fight to approve a $410 billion spending bill to fund the federal government through the rest of the current fiscal year after at least two Democratic lawmakers indicated Wednesday they intend to oppose the bill.” The story went on to note that beyond the opposition of Bayh and Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI), Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO) “has some serious reservations about the level of earmarks in the package.”
And the AP reported last night, “Democratic Sens. Robert Menendez of New Jersey and Bill Nelson of Florida are considering whether to oppose the legislation because it would ease rules on travel to Cuba and make it easier for Cuba to pay for imported food and medicine.” CongressDaily pointed out Feingold’s comments yesterday: “‘I’m not voting for this,’ Feingold said, citing about $8 billion in earmarks in the measure. ‘I’ve typically not voted for omnibus bills because they always end up like this.’”
Of course, it’s not just the omnibus bill. The Chicago Tribune editorial summarized the main problem: "A $787 billion ‘stimulus’ package. A $410 billion spending bill. A $3.55 trillion budget. Their reasoning: we need to do this in response to the economic crisis. But it’s sure sounding like business as usual in Washington. When in doubt, spend. When not in doubt ... spend."
As Sen. Bayh wrote yesterday, "The economic downturn requires new policies, not more of the same. Our nation’s current fiscal imbalance is unprecedented, unsustainable and, if unaddressed, a major threat to our currency and our economic vitality. . . . The solution going forward is to stop wasteful spending before it starts. Families and businesses are tightening their belts to make ends meet -- and Washington should too."
Tags: the economy, US Congress, US Senate, Washington D.C. To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Yesterday, the Senate rejected four amendments from Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK). Two of the amendments voted down would have required competitive bidding in contracts awarded from funds in the bill, shifted money to funding unsolved civil rights crimes, which Democrats made a big deal about last year and then never funded. Two more would have stripped a number of earmarks from the bill.
This morning's Chicago Tribune editorial accurately frames the situation in Congress, “The Obama administration and Democratic leaders of the House and Senate are blowing the lid off of spending restraint. But they’re finally meeting some resistance within their own party.” The editorial goes on to note yesterday’s Wall Street Journal op-ed by Sen. Evan Bayh (D-IN) and Politico’s report of a meeting of 15 uneasy Democrats. There are even more Democrats, though, beginning to show concern with the bloated omnibus spending bill and perhaps the Obama administration’s budget.
Dow Jones reported yesterday, “Senate Democrats may be facing a tougher-than-expected fight to approve a $410 billion spending bill to fund the federal government through the rest of the current fiscal year after at least two Democratic lawmakers indicated Wednesday they intend to oppose the bill.” The story went on to note that beyond the opposition of Bayh and Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI), Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO) “has some serious reservations about the level of earmarks in the package.”
And the AP reported last night, “Democratic Sens. Robert Menendez of New Jersey and Bill Nelson of Florida are considering whether to oppose the legislation because it would ease rules on travel to Cuba and make it easier for Cuba to pay for imported food and medicine.” CongressDaily pointed out Feingold’s comments yesterday: “‘I’m not voting for this,’ Feingold said, citing about $8 billion in earmarks in the measure. ‘I’ve typically not voted for omnibus bills because they always end up like this.’”
Of course, it’s not just the omnibus bill. The Chicago Tribune editorial summarized the main problem: "A $787 billion ‘stimulus’ package. A $410 billion spending bill. A $3.55 trillion budget. Their reasoning: we need to do this in response to the economic crisis. But it’s sure sounding like business as usual in Washington. When in doubt, spend. When not in doubt ... spend."
As Sen. Bayh wrote yesterday, "The economic downturn requires new policies, not more of the same. Our nation’s current fiscal imbalance is unprecedented, unsustainable and, if unaddressed, a major threat to our currency and our economic vitality. . . . The solution going forward is to stop wasteful spending before it starts. Families and businesses are tightening their belts to make ends meet -- and Washington should too."
Tags: the economy, US Congress, US Senate, Washington D.C. To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Posted by Bill Smith at 11:00 AM - Post Link
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