[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 37 (Tuesday, March 3, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2649-S2650]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         OMNIBUS APPROPRIATIONS

  Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, I listened to the majority leader. He 
did have a pretty good summary of the amendments we are aware of at the 
moment, all of which are significant. It is good that we will have a 
chance to get a vote on most or all of those.
  During his campaign, the President said he would not sign any non 
emergency spending until the American people had at least 5 days to 
review it on the White House Web site.
  So there is no reason for us to rush through this Omnibus 
appropriations bill when the White House has already promised it won't 
sign it without the requisite 5-day review.
  Besides, we have known about the Friday deadline for months so any 
pressure to rush this bill is completely manufactured.
  The responsible way forward is not to rush through another giant 
bill, but for the House to prepare a short-term CR so we have time to 
study and debate the Omnibus on the floor.
  Back in January, Republicans urged the President to move the Omnibus 
before the stimulus. It is now obvious why.
  The Omnibus contains funds for 122 programs that were already funded 
in the stimulus. It also represents an 8 percent increase over last 
year's regular appropriations, twice the rate of inflation.

[[Page S2650]]

  What all this means is that at a time when most Americans are 
tightening their belts, Washington is going out and buying a bigger 
one.
  Just consider the deficit. When we passed the last CR, the deficit 
was $460 billion. In January, the CBO estimated this year's deficit 
would be $1.2 trillion. Now after the past month, we expect the deficit 
to be $1.6 trillion.
  Now consider some of the recent spending we have done or are 
contemplating doing around here. Some of us are still dizzy from the $1 
trillion stimulus. We are trying to conceptualize the $3.6 trillion 
budget the President sent us last week. We are bracing for the 
potentially quarter-trillion housing plan that goes into effect 
tomorrow, and we are thinking about the $1 to $2 trillion we expect to 
be asked to spend on the financial sector.
  So we won't be rushed to spend another $410 billion without the 
requisite review.
  We need to slow down and make sure the American people understand how 
we intend to spend their tax dollars. The Omnibus is a massive bill 
that demands our close attention.
  I yield the floor.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from Illinois.
  Mr. DURBIN. I ask unanimous consent to speak as in morning business.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so 
ordered.

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