[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 19]
[Senate]
[Page 26102]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      PASSING APPROPRIATIONS BILLS

  Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, yesterday marked the beginning of a new 
fiscal year, when all of our projected spending for the next year ought 
to have been budgeted and allocated to the appropriate programs and 
Federal agencies. Unfortunately, we have yet to see a single 
appropriations bill be sent to the President. Four appropriations bills 
that have been passed are still in conference: The Homeland Security 
appropriations bill, the Military Construction and Veterans' Affairs 
appropriations bill, the State and Foreign Operations appropriations 
bill, and the Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development 
appropriations bill. But those are stuck in conference and none have 
been sent to the President for his signature.
  What is worse, the remaining 8 were never even brought to the floor 
for consideration by the Senate majority leadership before the end of 
2007. One, of course, will be taken up this week--the Defense 
appropriations bill.
  Any business leader or small business owner in America can tell you 
that entering the fiscal year without an approved budget plan is 
disastrous policy. But in Washington, we have grown to accept that the 
Federal Government can basically hold the American taxpayer to a double 
standard: Do what we say and not as we do. In Washington, we have come 
to accept that we don't have to budget or pay our bills on time to keep 
the lights on. Instead, we can pass a law saying it is OK--which we did 
last week, a continuing resolution, which keeps Government basically on 
autopilot until November 16 and, as I said, that is a double standard 
the rest of America is not allowed to meet. Only Congress, only 
Washington, can do that.
  This mentality of fiscal irresponsibility is a disturbing trend. 
Americans rightly expect us to keep the country running, but to keep it 
running efficiently and keep it running well, and to be good stewards 
of the taxpayers' dollars. We can't do that when we legislate on 
borrowed time and fail to pass any appropriations bills by the end of 
the fiscal year. Zero for 12 is a dismal average, even for the Senate.
  Despite harsh criticisms for failing to pass all appropriations bills 
last year, the new majority has failed to pass a single appropriations 
bill when given the chance this year. Passing appropriations bills is 
``the most fundamental job Congress is expected to do.'' That is a 
quote from our colleague, majority whip Dick Durbin, December 2006 in 
the New York Times.
  Senator Harry Reid, the current majority leader, said in May of 2007: 
``The `Do-Nothing' Republican Congress failed to pass the 
appropriations bills.''
  Now we find that notwithstanding their promise of new leadership and 
change, that situation bears all too similar a comparison to what they 
complained about last year.
  But the lack of urgency in passing these bills is only a part of the 
problem. My colleagues in the majority have used a few appropriations 
bills that have been brought forward as a vehicle for their political 
agenda, and increased spending on expanded social programs and pet 
projects.
  As we debated the Defense authorization bill week after week, the 
majority party delayed the bill's approval by trying to add and, in 
fact, successfully adding, in some instances, unrelated amendments--
amendments dealing with Federal hate crimes legislation, and 
immigration was even considered during the debate. Ultimately, these 
tactics wasted valuable time and delayed essential resources our 
military is counting on.
  As each minute, each day, and each week passes by, we come closer and 
closer to what is known as an omnibus appropriations bill. For those 
outside the Washington bubble, let me say that ``omnibus'' is sometimes 
translated as ``grab your wallet.'' An omnibus appropriations bill 
tends to be loaded down with a lot of excess spending and unrelated 
pork.
  If the appropriations bills we have debated thus far are any measure, 
we are in for major trouble. The spending proposals--an extra $205 
billion on top of the President's budget request over the next 5 
years--will force American taxpayers to send even more of their hard-
earned pay to the Federal Government. We should instead be working to 
return their hard-earned money to the American people, or rather allow 
them to keep it in the first place as much as possible.
  Now that we have already missed our own deadline for appropriations, 
it is time we get serious about these spending bills. I encourage all 
of my colleagues to join me and vote to pass timely and responsible 
appropriations bills and reverse this trend of fiscal apathy.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so 
ordered.
  Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to speak and to 
have that time allocated toward the majority time in morning business.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so 
ordered.

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