Spending Bill-¦And Then Some

By U.S. Senator Jon Kyl Congress recently approved a $464 billion spending bill for the federal government that also makes major policy changes and shifts billions of dollars away from important national priorities. This bill, called the continuing resolution, is deficient in a number of critical ways: it fails to properly fund our troops, cuts an AIDS prevention program for infants, allows special interest earmarks to continue, and funds government programs that have expired. While it was ultimately necessary for this bill to pass in order for the government to continue operating, Republicans attempted to offer amendments to address these problems and improve the bill. Unfortunately, no Senators were allowed the opportunity to discuss or vote on any changes to it. The bill fails to provide crucial funding for our troops. More than 12,000 American troops serving overseas will soon return home, but will be met with a lack of housing on bases, because the needed barracks are not funded in this spending plan. Senate Republicans wanted to offer an amendment to restore the $3 billion in funding for the U.S. military, but were not permitted to by the Senate majority. There are numerous other instances of problems, for example, elimination of a program to help prevent the spread of AIDS among infants in Africa. Republicans again wanted to offer an amendment, to ensure that more than $30 million dedicated to this lifesaving Baby AIDS program would not be blocked. The spending bill also takes money from the Crime Victims Fund, which is a program intended to help families and individuals that have been the victim of certain crimes. The bill places a cap on the total amount of funds that may be spent from this program and spends it elsewhere. This bill fails to address wasteful spending. There was a promise to reform the practice of earmarking, but yet this bill still allows for the continuation of earmarks from 2006. Republicans wanted to amend the bill to protect taxpayer funds by guaranteeing that it is truly earmark-free and by preventing backroom deals to fund wasteful programs after this bill has passed. And one of the most egregious expenditures of this spending bill is the continuation of funding for government programs that no longer require funding or have been terminated. For example, consider the Advanced Technology Program, which received $79 million in 2006. The White House has not requested additional funding for this program, and congressional authorization for the program has expired. But, because the spending bill simply extends funding from the previous year, millions of taxpayer dollars will go to this program, and others, that no longer exist. No legislation that moves through the Senate is perfect. That is why there is a process set up to permit for Senators to offer amendments, have them debated, and ultimately voted upon all in an effort to help improve the bill. When it comes to spending $464 billion of taxpayer money, I am disappointed that this process and debate was not allowed to occur. But, Congress had to pass and send the bill to the President to avoid a shut down of the federal government. Thats frequently the kind of Hobsons choice Congress confronts but its a heck of a way to run the government.