Conservatives inside and outside of Congress have panned the Democrat-written Omnibus spending bill as “the epitome of everything that is wrong with Congress.”
FLASH: Pelosi rushed the vote late last night. Here's a link to the roll call and the 39 "Republicans" who voted for it. More tomorrow...
As our friends at FreedomWorks noted, the massive, 2,741-page spending measure was negotiated behind closed doors, released in the dead of night, and will be voted in less than 24 hours after first being made public.
In total, the bill authorizes more than $1.5 trillion in annualized discretionary spending for fiscal year 2022. This amounts to a 6% increase in discretionary spending–not counting Ukraine and COVID-19 supplemental spending–and will total an additional $880 billion over 10 years.
This bill also includes nearly $30 billion in emergency funding that is not subject to budget caps. Despite politicians conveniently declaring victory over COVID-19 during the State of the Union, this package sends $15.6 billion in emergency funds to combat the virus. Recognizing that there are billions of dollars left unaccounted for out of the nearly $6 trillion that Congress has already appropriated, additional funding is both irresponsible and unnecessary. The remaining $13.6 billion of emergency funding comes in aid to Ukraine and neighboring Eastern European countries. Lawmakers making the case that this spending is vital should be pushing to let it pass alone and on its own merits, not attached to supposed “must-pass” legislation, said Adam Brandon, President of FreedomWorks in an email to the organization’s activist community.
And in addition to the massive and unaccountable spending, the bill resurrects the corrupt practice of “earmarks” for special interest-favored projects. According to our friends at Citizens for Renewing America, among the earmarked projects are:
$569,000 for removal of derelict lobster pots.
$605,000 for a greenhouse in NYC (Schumer).
$1,600,000 for development for equitable growth of shellfish aquaculture industry in Rhode Island.
$500,000 for Diversity and Inclusion program at Worcester State University.
$945,000 for Oregon kelp forest survey.
$4,200,000 for improvements to sheep experiment station infrastructure.
$2,000,000 for reducing inequity in access to solar power.
$1,000,000 for workforce training related to clean energy and green building in Minneapolis.
$100,000 for Center for Race Equity in Education in Connecticut.
$475,000 for Beatty Race, Inclusion, and Social Equity Institute at Ohio State University.
$2,500,000 for biking trails in Vermont.
$500,000 for skiing club Nansen Ski Jump in New Hampshire.
$286,000 for climate-smart family forests in Vermont.
$424,000 country club road and sidewalk replacement in Avon, CT.
$300,000 for a behavioral workforce initiative in Illinois.
$1,000,000 for sidewalk repair in Louisville.
$2,000,000 to educate, digitally connect, and road building for indigenous coffee producers in Columbia.
If you are wondering, as we are, why America’s hard-pressed taxpayers need to contribute $2 million to Columbia’s native American coffee producers please call your Representative and Senators (1-866-220-0044) to demand they vote NO on the Consolidated Appropriations Act, H.R. 2741.
NumbersUSA also gave us a heads-up via Twitter about the disastrous immigration provisions of the bill:
The House poised to pass a bill that would allow for DOUBLING of H-2B visas. Also restarts fraud-ridden EB-5 program that sells green cards to foreign "investors" (which @SecMayorkas found to have corruptly influenced at @USCIS) & rescinds $ to train workers displaced by H-1Bs.
Perhaps the worst thing about this bill is that it is going to get some Republican support, especially from the GOP’s establishment leadership.
This was all too much for principled limited government constitutional conservative Republican Rep. Chip Roy (TX-21) who erupted in remarks against the bill delivered on the House Floor. "That is a DISGUSTING display by BOTH SIDES of this body...STOP selling the American people a bill of goods, and I'm looking directly at my party when I say that,” said Roy.
Rep. Roy summarized his opposition in a series of tweets concluding with: And for #SwampSpending icing on the cake, there will be significant @HouseGOP & @SenateGOP support for this rushed, massive spending while inflation is at 7+% - fails to secure the border, fails to open up USA energy, fails to protect Americans from a jab… #DefundTyranny
The toll-free Capitol Switchboard (1-866-220-0044), call today and tell your Senators and Representative you demand they vote NO on corrupt earmarks, NO on opening our borders, NO on selling Green Cards, NO on giveaways to corrupt foreign governments and NO on the Consolidated Appropriations Act, H.R. 2741.
Nancy Pelosi
omnibus spending bill
Republicans
regular order
continuing resolutions
discretionary spending
Ukraine
COVID-19 spending
must pass legislation
Earmarks
Consolidated Appropriations Act, H.R. 2741
immigration visas