What a Spending Bill Should Look Like

Conn Carroll / December 16, 2010

On March 11, 2009, while signing the the $410 billion, 8,500 earmark laden, Omnibus Appropriations Act of 2009, President Barack Obama said:

This piece of legislation must mark an end to the old way of doing business and the beginning of a new era of responsibility and accountability that the American people have every right to expect and demand. … I expect future spending bills to be debated and voted on in an orderly way, and sent to my desk without delay or obstruction, so that we don’t face another massive, last-minute omnibus bill like this again.

Fast forward to this Tuesday when Majority Leader Harry Reid introduced a 1,924 page, $1.27 trillion omnibus spending bill stuffed with 6,000 earmarks worth $8 billion. If the Senate does not pass a bill by midnight this Saturday, the federal government will shut down. Clearly President Obama has completely failed to bring any change to Washington spending habits.

In contrast, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has just released an alternative that will fund the federal government at current levels through February. It is one page. (more…)