tsai3904
06-16-2011, 07:57 PM
http://appropriations.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=247105
House Appropriations Chairman Hal Rogers today commended the House for passing H.R. 2112, the Fiscal Year 2012 Agriculture Appropriations Bill. The legislation funds the various programs within the Department of Agriculture and related agencies, and totals $125.5 billion in both discretionary and mandatory funding, a reduction of more than $7 billion from the President’s request. The bill reduces discretionary spending by $2.7 billion from last year’s level – a cut of more than $5 billion from the President’s request. The bill passed on a vote of 217-203.
Although the press release states that the bill reduces discretionary spending from last year's level by $2.7 billion, it fails to reveal that non-discretionary spending increases from last year's level by $3 billion (source here (http://appropriations.house.gov/UploadedFiles/6.13.11_FY_12_Agriculture_Conference_Summary.pdf) (pdf)).
The Republicans will come out saying that they cut discretionary spending and cut spending compared to the President's budget, but in the end, the bill increases spending year over year.
According to Justin Amash here (http://www.facebook.com/repjustinamash/posts/211645898874824), the bill "spends taxpayer dollars on such projects as the breastfeeding performance awards".
I didn't believe it at first so I had to look up the text of the bill, and sure enough it's there:
not less than $75,000,000 shall be used for breastfeeding peer counselors and other related activities, and not less than $7,500,000 shall be used for breastfeeding performance awards
The best part of the bill comes from the fact that each bill must state where in the Constitution the House gets the authority to pass the bill. As the sponsor of the bill, Rep. Jack Kingston states,
"clause 1 of section 8 of article I of the Constitution (the spending power) provides: ‘‘The Congress shall have the Power . . . to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States. . . .’’
So now the Republicans are also using the common defense and general welfare clause to justify their actions.
Only 19 Republicans voted against this bill, including Ron Paul, Justin Amash, Walter Jones, and Jeff Flake. Vote results here (http://www.govtrack.us/congress/vote.xpd?vote=h2011-459).
House Appropriations Chairman Hal Rogers today commended the House for passing H.R. 2112, the Fiscal Year 2012 Agriculture Appropriations Bill. The legislation funds the various programs within the Department of Agriculture and related agencies, and totals $125.5 billion in both discretionary and mandatory funding, a reduction of more than $7 billion from the President’s request. The bill reduces discretionary spending by $2.7 billion from last year’s level – a cut of more than $5 billion from the President’s request. The bill passed on a vote of 217-203.
Although the press release states that the bill reduces discretionary spending from last year's level by $2.7 billion, it fails to reveal that non-discretionary spending increases from last year's level by $3 billion (source here (http://appropriations.house.gov/UploadedFiles/6.13.11_FY_12_Agriculture_Conference_Summary.pdf) (pdf)).
The Republicans will come out saying that they cut discretionary spending and cut spending compared to the President's budget, but in the end, the bill increases spending year over year.
According to Justin Amash here (http://www.facebook.com/repjustinamash/posts/211645898874824), the bill "spends taxpayer dollars on such projects as the breastfeeding performance awards".
I didn't believe it at first so I had to look up the text of the bill, and sure enough it's there:
not less than $75,000,000 shall be used for breastfeeding peer counselors and other related activities, and not less than $7,500,000 shall be used for breastfeeding performance awards
The best part of the bill comes from the fact that each bill must state where in the Constitution the House gets the authority to pass the bill. As the sponsor of the bill, Rep. Jack Kingston states,
"clause 1 of section 8 of article I of the Constitution (the spending power) provides: ‘‘The Congress shall have the Power . . . to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States. . . .’’
So now the Republicans are also using the common defense and general welfare clause to justify their actions.
Only 19 Republicans voted against this bill, including Ron Paul, Justin Amash, Walter Jones, and Jeff Flake. Vote results here (http://www.govtrack.us/congress/vote.xpd?vote=h2011-459).