Posted on 03/27/2007 10:37:22 AM PDT by Froufrou
Like their counterparts in the House, the Senate has larded its version of an “emergency” war spending bill with nearly $20 billion in pork-barrel outlays, including $100 million for the two major political parties’ 2008 presidential conventions.
The $121 billion bill includes $102 billion for the troops fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as $14 billion for Hurricane Katrina aid and more than $4 billion for “emergency farm relief.”
“Congress will have to make the choice between booze and balloons or bullets and body armor,” John Hart, a spokesman for Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., told The Examiner on Monday. Coburn and a handful of other senators hope to shame their colleagues into stripping the pork out of the war spending bill.
The Senate bill is $18 billion more than President Bush requested for military operations. The House bill, which passed last week, exceeded the administration’s request by $21 billion and included money for spinach growers, peanut storage and citrus farmers.
If the Senate bill goes to conference committee as written, the two chambers may find themselves fighting over the best cuts of pork.
Coburn and his fellow pork foes will offer a series of amendments this week aimed at eliminating fat domestic spending or redirecting it to crucial needs for soldiers, sailors and airmen.
“Maybe this is what Democrats mean by ‘phased redeployment’,” Hart said.
Senate Appropriations Chairman Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., Monday defended the extra spending, describing it as “common sense and good economics.”
“Funding for the war is not the only critical need worthy of the supplemental spending,” he said. The war “must not obliterate every other concern.”
The $100 million for the political party conventions — $50 million for the Democratic convention in Denver and $50 million for the Republican convention in St. Paul, Minn. — is included in a section described as “Katrina recovery, veterans’ care and for other purposes.”
The Senate Appropriations Committee noted that the committee provided roughly $50 million to help defray the costs of policing the 2004 conventions. A senate staffer pointed out, however, that the 2004 funding earned approval through the normal appropriations process rather than the less-stringent “emergency” process permitted for the current bill.
The new bill also includes $13 million for “ewe replacement and retention,” $24 million for sugar beets growers and $95 million for dairy producers.
Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said the bill contains “enough in each of the four food groups for a balanced meal.”
And it includes $3.5 million for the Capitol’s guided–tour program and $20 million for, in part, insect infestation control in Nevada, thanks to Majority Leader Harry Reid.
Among the other beneficiaries of the Senate “emergency” war bill is the tree assistance program, including, specifically, Christmas trees.
“This bill is both literally and figuratively a Christmas tree,” said one Senate staffer who has studied the bill.
That's another 20 Billion Dollars that we're being over-taxed.
What the heck? If congress wants to add another $50 billion fine, as long as the withdrawal language is removed the President should sign. He can always veto the budget bill until congress reduces the amount they added in this war bill.
Still, it really burns my biscuits!
Me too but like I said, if they take out the withdrawal date the President can always deduct the pork from the general budget through veto.
including $100 million for the two major political parties’ 2008 presidential conventions.
Isn't that a line item veto?
Not if the President rejects the whole budget bill and tells them to trim the amount then congress has a choice, try to override the veto, rework it or let the government shut down. The President really has no choice but to veto the Iraq bill calling for a timed withdrawal not only because it's not right, it's unconstitutional, but absent that language he will be forced to sign no matter the pork.
Then, call a nationally-televised news conference, and veto the bill live on national TV, explaining to the American people exactly why you are doing so, and requesting that Congress grow up, take some responsibility and act like adults who actually care about winning the war on terror.
Shake your rattle harder, Ms. Pelosi. Suck your thumb some more, Mr. Schumer. Cry again, Mr. Hagel. It's tough love time.
I heard in the car that some Dems want the withdrawal date a 'secret' known only to the POTUS, military and Congress.
Hey pigs,
Yes, you pigs,
Hey piggy, piggy, pig, pig.
The Dem's voting base never cares about this kind of tax and spend because they aren't the ones paying for it.
%&!*%!*!*!*!^*!^*!^$
I guarantee it would be leaked in less than a day.
No secret is safe around Rockefeller and Leahy...
You can probably substitute about 300 other rat congresscritters' names in there, also.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.