Fight on the Right: Conservatives battle massive omnibus spending bill
You might want to sit down when you read this. Do a few breathing exercises. Inhale. Exhale.
Ready?
The GOP leadership is readying a $1 trillion continuing resolution for passage next week — packaged as an omnibus mega-vehicle rolling up a dozen different annual appropriations bills — that would cover through November 18, 2011.
Here it is:
A Capitol Hill source says it’s at least $24 billion higher than the House-passed budget.
Note also that Section 105 of the debt ceiling bill the GOP agreed to includes language granting Budget chairmen in House and Senate the authority to go in themselves independently of any subsequent legislation and reconcile the budget:
SEC. 105. AMENDMENTS TO THE CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET AND IMPOUNDMENT CONTROL ACT OF 1974.
(a) ADJUSTMENTS.—Section 314 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 is amended as follows:
(1) Strike subsection (a) and insert the following:
‘‘(a) ADJUSTMENTS.—After the reporting of a bill or joint resolution or the offering of an amendment thereto or the submission of a conference report thereon, the chairman of the Committee on the Budget of the House of Representatives or the Senate may make appropriate budgetary adjustments of new budget authority and the outlays flowing therefrom in the same amount as required by section 251(b) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.’’.
Fiscal conservatives in the House are raising their voices.
Via Politico:
Reversing their past rhetoric, House Republicans are actively considering plans to bundle the 12 annual appropriations bills into a single omnibus package that meets spending targets set in the August budget accord and can be enacted before the December showdown over further deficit reduction.
Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) was described as still nervous about the strategy, given the resistance he risks from conservatives and his own past criticism of such big budget packages. But House Appropriations Committee Chairman Hal Rogers (R-Ky.) told POLITICO, “I don’t think we have any choice,” and expects to meet with his Senate counterparts next week to explore this approach.
…As introduced this week, the 17-page House stopgap bill provides a $3.65 billion package of disaster aid and then uses a combination of funding transfers and across-the-board cuts to stay within spending targets for 2011 and 2012.
An estimated $1 billion in emergency funds is provided for the remainder of this fiscal year, given the dire straits of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s disaster reserve, down to $351 million Thursday. But that would be offset with monies taken from an advanced technology program for the auto industry, and in 2012 all agencies but FEMA will be subject to a 1.5 percent cut to stay within the $1.043 trillion cap set in August.
Nonetheless, that target is itself controversial for many on the right. And led by Rep. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), 52 House Republicans signed onto a letter — released Thursday — that urges Boehner to press for greater savings and treat the August agreement as a spending ceiling and not a spending floor.
As you all know, massive omnibus spending packages are inevitable, hide-the-pork monstrosities. The conservative Republican Study Committee is gearing up to offer an alternative to hold the spending line. Via Roll Call:
House conservatives are gearing up for a fight with Democrats and their own leadership over the size of the upcoming continuing resolution, even as Republican leaders soften their rhetoric regarding President Barack Obama.
Conservatives, unhappy that last month’s debt limit deal included significantly higher budget levels than those included in Budget Chairman Paul Ryan’s (R-Wis.) budget, are demanding the CR — and a subsequent omnibus spending measure — stick to Ryan’s numbers rather than those agreed to in the debt deal.
But Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) and other leaders are in no mood for another budget battle, and the Appropriations Committee is expected to produce a CR that runs through November that meets the budget levels set in the debt deal.
But the Republican Study Committee — which squared off with Boehner during the debt deal in a losing effort to force deeper cuts — is considering submitting its own CR and actively opposing the appropriations bill.
“We’re looking at options,” an aide to a conservative lawmaker said last week, adding that “there’s a good chance conservatives will put forward a version of the CR” based either on the Ryan budget or possibly the RSC’s even leaner budget.
…Flake and GOP Reps. Cynthia Lummis (Wyo.) and Tom Graves (Ga.), also appropriators, are circulating a “Dear Colleague” letter to Boehner, Cantor and Appropriations Chairman Hal Rogers (Ky.) demanding they keep to the Ryan budget levels.
“We write to remind you that the spending cap for Fiscal Year 2012 included in the debt limit deal is a spending ceiling and not a spending floor,” the trio writes.
Flake and other conservatives point out that the House has already passed several spending bills this year that use Ryan’s budget as a baseline, and they argue that passing a CR at the debt deal levels would be voting for an increase in spending.
“The House simply cannot push the level of discretionary spending for the coming year upwards as its first action after the extended debt ceiling debate,” they write.
Is the call for limited government just another political slogan or do Republican leaders mean it?
Watch their actions, not their words.
Stay tuned…
***
Update: GOP Sen. Ron Johnson has announced his opposition to the 2012 appropriations bills…
Senator Ron Johnson (WI) today explained his decision to vote against three 2012 appropriations bills: the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, and the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act. Johnson said:
“The debt ceiling agreement “deemed” a fiscal year 2012 budget passed, and set discretionary spending at $1,043 billion for next year. Discretionary spending represents approximately 30 percent of the total federal budget and is the only part of the budget subject to the appropriations process. The remaining 70% consists of entitlements and other mandatory spending, all of which are growing on automatic pilot each year. This year, discretionary spending will equal $1,050 billion. The debt ceiling agreement cut an underwhelming $7 billion from that amount. This represents a cut of less than .7% in discretionary spending, and less than .2% of the entire budget.
“I voted against the debt ceiling agreement – and I will be voting against a number of appropriations bills – because this meager level of spending restraint is simply not adequately addressing our very serious fiscal problems.”
The Senate Appropriations Committee approved four appropriations bills yesterday afternoon – the three bills listed above, and the Department of Defense Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2012.
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I am an American first and I am not proud of this government.
At a Republican party meeting the other day, we were bemoaning our rino Congressman Wittman. Another member said to me,”Well, you have to vote for our guy. Who else is there?”.
We need alternatives or none of this will ever change and we will lose our country.
The Republicans think we have to vote for them as the lesser of two evils. My nose is getting pretty sore from all the holding.
I may vote Democrat just to torpedo the incumbent if no one will primary him.
STOP SPENDING MONEY WE DON’T HAVE!!
Yes you do. The House has passed a budget bill while the Senate has not. Grow a pair and tell the Senate either pass the Ryan budget or come up with their own and leave it at that. Put the ball in Reid’s court and let him sweat it out.
As I’ve told many of my liberal friends…It does not matter if it’s a Republican or Democrat. Both parties have a spending problem. The only real solution is to vote in true conservatives.
We knew the instant Boehner and his cronies were installed in the leadership that this group was no better than the dems. This is the same group who spent us down the river from 2000 to 2010. But one thing these traitorous scum are bringing about is a collapse of the welfare ponzi schemes at a faster rate. TAX THE RICH! But when the rich leave and set up shop overseas, (like Chrysler) who do you tax. My neighborhood is suffering the effects of 2 chrysler plants being taxed and regulated into bankruptcy, and it has caused major financial stress on homeowners, school districts, hospitals, governments, etc. because these golden geese are being cooked by an insatiable government and plaintiffs bar.
If there is one penny for Obamcare in that package the authors should be tarred and feathered!
Spot on truesoldier!
Time to replace TEA with TAR!
Third-world status here we come….
oh de do dah day
RINOs just can’t get a clue
We’ve spent to much and the bill is due
Democrats want to take your money away
Oh de do dah day
Can we wake up from this fright?
Or is America’s future out of sight?
I don’t mean that in a good way
Oh de do dah day
When we want to drink some TEA
On our heads the pols do pee
They only want to have their way
Oh de do dah day
I have now tried to write this song.
American seems to not have very long.
We must continually make the pols pay
Oh de do dah day
How come when it comes to doing the right thing these poinyoins can never see the correct choice. Blind pigs the lot of them!
DUMP BOEHNER.
Bob Turner for Speaker! The man can do no worse, and from all I’ve seen and heard, his message and tone are exactly what’s needed.
(paraphrasing)
I came to Washington to stop Obama.
this is what happens as a result of people not being held responsible for their actions on any level of society…best we primary these traitorous bastards, everyone of them.
Maybe Bonehead Boehner and Mackerel McConnell didn’t see the results of the N.Y. election tues. These guys must be blind.
BooHoo needs to be shown the door, preferably by his Congressional constituents. Meantime Tea Party reps must find a way to stop the Big Government/Ruling Class clowns.
A government limited to and run by our illustrious elitist betters in DC is what they really call for. True small government, reel in the spending, conservatives need not apply.
I’m thinking that’s better than they truly deserve.
What good is throwing Dems/Obama out when the Repubs are hell-bent to do the same things when in power?
It seems to me that the Repubs were a better opposition party when out of power than when in power.
Over the last 40+ years the GOP has gotten too used to being the minority party. They simply don’t know how to act and conform to party principles when they run things. They come to believe they have to throw money around just like Dems to be loved, and to show gratitude to their own corporate cronies.
Why on earth would the House spending bill be higher than its own budget? Is that duplicity or what? Yes, it is. How serious is the leadership?
I’ve been re-assured that another round of nose holding will solve this problem.
“No choice,” “nervous,” wth?
We need courageous fiscal leaders to stand up against the spending addicted.
Go big or go home, RINOs.
Nothing stopping you from running for Congress yourself. It couldn’t hurt the country at all to have your congressman gone. Then, you can form your own caucus of one and propose whatever legislation you think is right.
How about Michele Bachmann?? She isn’t going to be our candidate for POTUS, but would make an AWESOME House Speaker!! Then, get Marco Rubio as Senate Majority Leader…and it won’t matter who the POTUS is…true Conservatives will control Congress!
happy,
I`m likin` your thinkin` !
Well then, I’m likin yours too!
happy!
That is pure genius! The sound of liberal heads popping everywhere would be deafening.
Is everybody in DC so totally math challenged? Can these people ever think of not spending? Or is it just deciding to spend less than they would have liked to. Gad, I can’t stand these people! They have to be watched non-stop. How irresponsible they all are. Stop the spending!
But, but, but, RAMBLER..these traitors are not thinking about spending…they are only thinking about ways to not piss anybody off so they can get reelected.
I like the way you think. With that combination leading the Congress they can drag whomever is president kicking and screaming towards fiscal conservatism.
I`m wishing the DC bunch would start spending like drunken sailors; they`d then be spending their own money and probably would quit when they ran out !
SPG, have you been in a coma for the last decade? They’ve BEEN spending like drunken sailors (worse!) for years, they ran out of real money long ago, and they just keep borrowing.
NOTHING will make them quit except being thrown out on their keisters.
My thoughts exactly.
Are these idiots on drugs?????
No choice is when you don’t have the votes to stop something.
They have a choice. They’re making the wrong one.
Captain Blasto
Well said!!
This is the attitude that I’ve been looking for among the GOP.
You don’t waste all your time yelling at cable TV all year and then storm out of your house on election day and vote democrat in protest—you solve the issue in the primary.
And if no one is willing to step forward, well it must not be that important and maybe people are okay with giving their blood, sweat and tears to the lazy and union bosses.
———————–
Being mad and stompy is what got us the results in 2006 and 2008.
Being engaged and getting rid of rhinos like Mike Castle is what got us 2010.
See the difference?
Every Rino must GO. America is at stake. Are they stupid or do they not care and just want power?
Yes
It would be like the PFJ Splitters
like my mom used to say to our dog “Out, damn Spot”
tar most of them
This is upsetting to many, and it looks to me like the bill Boehner has to come up with without the tools to take out the locked in spending. I really don’t know what they can do except submit bills they know won’t pass to placate us, and then submit the bills they think will actually pass second. This bill is the pragmatic solution, and I understand that, but I would rather have some of the impediments of bureaucracy removed, rules, practices, unnecessary employees (for GODS sake stop Federal Hiring this minute.) They do need help in Washington, because they do not have the “tools” or access to get at the spending because Harry Reid and Barach Obama block all the fiscally conservative ideas. So, Ladies and Gentlemen, I think they need us there standing politely outside, not just a tiny tea party group but everyone. They need to be able to point to us outside, the way they point at HarryR and say he won’t take up the bill. In his speech the other day, Obama said something really dumb about us not having to wait 14 months for the elections to fix things. What on earth did he mean, I have puzzled and puzzled over it? Can anyone here tell me what he meant? He knows we think we can fix things when we kick him out, but what does 14 months do to improve things for him? Right now, you need to look around and get winning Senate candidates out front, arguing with the ones that are in power, giving them a run for their money and persuading them to go along with our good ideas. Make them afraid that they are on the wrong side of the issues with the American people. And we need to assemble peacefully in D.C. like we did against Healthcare.
Was there ever any doubt that they don’t mean a word of it? Boehner has been part of the problem for a long time. Anyone who believes he cares about a solution is insane.