The House struggled to pass a $1.3 trillion spending package in the wee hours after months of wrangling. The 2,232-page appropriations bill was rushed to the Senate for approval, allowing legislators little opportunity to wade through the morass of appropriation items.
Many senators admit they did not read every page in the omnibus spending package before it was approved just after midnight. Democrats share in the blame for going along with the compromise, which included funding for many of their pet projects in exchange for votes.
What has not been widely reported is the $1.3 trillion represents a mere down payment on a two-year budget agreement. The appropriation approved last week only funds the federal government through the current fiscal year, which ends September 30. Then the drama will begin anew.
News coverage has failed to mention the gargantuan budget only addresses discretionary funding. It does NOT include entitlements, such as Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security. There also is not one single dime in the budget for interest payments on the inflated national debt.
In bowing to pressure, the GOP surrendered the high ground of fiscal conservatism. It has no one to blame but itself for the capitulation. The party is a captive of Washington's chronically dysfunctional budget process. However, Republicans have the power to fix it but they are cowards.
Almost 44 years ago, Congress approved the Budget Act of 1974 legally requiring members to pass an annual budget. After the president submits a budget proposal, the House and Senate are supposed to adopt their own budget resolutions and follow with spending bills to fund the fiscal plan.
Since the passage of the budget law, Congress has a abysmal record of adhering to its own appropriation deadlines. Lawmakers have managed to meet their legal deadline just four times in four decades. For the last six years, not a single appropriation has been enacted by the deadline.
This behavior encourages fiscal irresponsibility. Senators and representatives are either too lazy, too incompetent or too disorganized to meet their goal. There is no excuse for what passes as fiscal planning in Washington. This is reckless chaos. No business would operate this way.
Since the passage of the budget law, Congress has a abysmal record of adhering to its own appropriation deadlines. Lawmakers have managed to meet their legal deadline just four times in four decades. For the last six years, not a single appropriation has been enacted by the deadline.
This behavior encourages fiscal irresponsibility. Senators and representatives are either too lazy, too incompetent or too disorganized to meet their goal. There is no excuse for what passes as fiscal planning in Washington. This is reckless chaos. No business would operate this way.
Americans have grown weary of the seemingly perpetual threat of a government shutdown as an excuse for abusing the federal budget process. Members on both sides of the aisle wink at deadlines. Their disregard for the process is deliberate and dishonest.
The dirty little secret is that Congress prefers a frenetic pace. In the final hours, members shoehorn pork barrel projects into the thousands of pages, hoping no one will notice until its too late. Members votes are often exchanged for pet projects. It's congressional bribery underwritten by taxpayers.
The midnight scramble also keeps the public from learning the details until the budget has been shoved across the finish line. Members don't have to handle all those angry calls from constituents. As soon as the gavel falls, members hotfoot it out of Washington for recess.
The charlatans refuse to face the music for their negligence. When pressed, they blame the budget process. They blame the opposition party. None of that matters to Americans. Members jobs are to fulfill their obligation to fund the nation's priorities in a timely, responsible manner.
The dirty little secret is that Congress prefers a frenetic pace. In the final hours, members shoehorn pork barrel projects into the thousands of pages, hoping no one will notice until its too late. Members votes are often exchanged for pet projects. It's congressional bribery underwritten by taxpayers.
The midnight scramble also keeps the public from learning the details until the budget has been shoved across the finish line. Members don't have to handle all those angry calls from constituents. As soon as the gavel falls, members hotfoot it out of Washington for recess.
The charlatans refuse to face the music for their negligence. When pressed, they blame the budget process. They blame the opposition party. None of that matters to Americans. Members jobs are to fulfill their obligation to fund the nation's priorities in a timely, responsible manner.
Representative Paul Mitchell of Michigan has joined some of his colleagues in demanding more accountability from Congress. They have proposed a bill that requires Congress to pass a annual budget by June 30. It's officially called the Protecting Our Children's Future Act (HR5214).
Under the bill's chief provision, if Congress fails to meet the budget deadline, members pay will be withheld. In other words, No Budget, No Pay. Currently, there is no penalty for Representatives and Senators if they are derelict in their duty to enact appropriation bills on schedule.
Under the bill's chief provision, if Congress fails to meet the budget deadline, members pay will be withheld. In other words, No Budget, No Pay. Currently, there is no penalty for Representatives and Senators if they are derelict in their duty to enact appropriation bills on schedule.
The measure would also streamline the process for passage of appropriations bills in the Senate, which often bogs down the budget process with archaic procedures. Even when the House meets appropriation deadlines, the Senate drags its feet to force desperate short term measures.
In addition, the legislation would require zero-based budgeting. Historically Congress uses baseline budgeting, which assumes the previous year's expenditures are the starting point. The new methodology would force the government to justify every dollar of spending each fiscal year.
Republicans hold the majority. They have the ability to end the unscrupulous budget finagling in Washington. They can clean up the swampy mess. If Republicans won't keep their promise of fiscal responsibility, they deserve to be a minority party again.
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