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A small victory in a bloated budget
Dear Nebraskans,
Last week was undoubtedly the busiest I've had yet in the Senate: budget week. I am pleased to report that a proposal of mine was included in the final budget that will protect your tax dollars and indeed the legislative process as a whole. Every year, the Senate must pass a budget to fund the workings of the federal government. It is a very lengthy process and always involves a great number of amendments. I offered two proposals, which focused on issues that affect all Americans and all aspects of our economy.
My first amendment sought to prevent slipping expansive climate change legislation into law using the budget reconciliation process. Reconciliation is a legislative maneuver that would have muffled debate and clouded the transparency of legislation that will affect every farm, business, and family across the country. One proposal, for example, could cost every family up to $3,000 per year. This legislation is far too significant and complex to be rushed through without thorough consideration by the Senate.
The message resonated throughout Capitol Hill. Last Wednesday, my amendment passed by an overwhelming margin of 67-31--a strong bipartisan statement that included 26 Democrats. I wrote this amendment because Congress and all of America should be able to study this sweeping legislation very carefully before passing it into law.
Let me be clear: the point of my amendment was not to pass judgment on the merits of climate change legislation. That is a debate for another day. This was about upholding the legitimacy of the Senate; it was about preventing a disingenuous tactic by which far-reaching legislation would have been tucked in under the guise of another bill; it was about preserving the transparency of our legislative process. I am pleased so many of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle agreed with me.
The second proposal I submitted sought to rein in the overall spending of the federal budget. The final budget is of historic proportions, with a record-setting $3.6 trillion price tag for next year and a collective $1.7 trillion in tax increases. My proposal would have limited discretionary spending increases not related to defense or veterans to the expected rate of inflation. If everyday citizens have to adjust their spending to the rise in costs of goods and services, so should their government. My proposal would have saved our country $194 billion over the next five years. For next year, it would have limited spending increases for non-defense, non-veterans discretionary spending to 1.2 percent growth compared to the 9 percent increase in the budget proposal. This was a chance for the Senate to begin a reversal of spending beyond its means. Unfortunately, my proposal was rejected, and a bloated budget was passed that I did not support.
Over the next two weeks, I will be traveling across Nebraska to hear your views on the issues facing our country. I am very much looking forward to hearing from fellow Nebraskans after these busy weeks in Washington.
Wishing you all a blessed Easter,