Omnibusting: Omnibus Spending Bill, Earmarks, Pork and Budget Gimmicks

Entries tagged as ‘border’

Another Top 10 List on the Omnibus

December 18, 2007 · No Comments

Sen. Jim DeMint’s office has compiled the following top 10 list of reasons to oppose the omnibus.

1. Contains more than 11,000 wasteful pork projects, second highest in history
2. Overspends by $24.3 billion in gimmicks, largest spending bill in history
3. Weakens border security, reduces fencing
4. Cuts national security to pay for liberal social programs
5. Cuts abstinence funding; increases Planned Parenthood funding
6. Cuts labor oversight; increases funding to labor unions
7. Cuts funding for U.S. Marshals Service that enforces sex offender registry
8. Allows government to sue businesses that require English in the workplace
9. Spends millions to help solve energy problems … in North Korea
10. Increases funding for National Endowment for the Arts

Earlier today, Heritage released its own top 10 list of the biggest problems with the bill.

Categories: Budget Gimmicks · General Outrage · Policy Riders · Pork Projects
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Omnibus Guts Secure Fence Act

December 18, 2007 · 5 Comments

As more details emerge about the omnibus, the Washington Times finds one that has touched a nerve among House Republicans. The newspaper reports that the bill guts the Secure Fence Act, which won congressional approval last year.

Congress last night passed a giant new spending bill that undermines current plans for a U.S.-Mexico border fence, allowing the Homeland Security Department to build a single-tier barrier rather than the two-tier version that has worked in California. …

“The fact that this was buried in a bloated, 3,500-page omnibus speaks volumes about the Democrats’ unserious approach on border security and illegal immigration,” said House Minority Leader John A. Boehner, Ohio Republican. “Gutting the Secure Fence Act will make our borders less secure, but it’s consistent with the pattern of behavior we’ve seen all year from this majority.”

The 2006 Secure Fence Act specifically called for “two layers of reinforced fencing” and listed five specific sections of border where it should be installed. The new spending bill removes the two-tier requirement and the list of locations.

The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Peter King, called the change “unacceptable.” And Rep. Duncan Hunter said it would be “a significant step backwards.”

Here’s a link to the section of the bill dealing with the Secure Fence Act.

Categories: Policy Riders
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