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Why are Pelosi and company being so secretive?
Why?
Earmarks.
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The unusual process means thousands of lawmakers' pet projects of the very sort blasted by GOP presidential nominee John McCain on the campaign trail would escape scrutiny, including up to $5 billion worth of such "earmarks" in the defense budget alone.
Congressional leaders hope to pass the budget legislation this week, but several issues remained undecided Monday. For starters, it wasn't clear how much the White House would be willing to accept.
Bush has threatened to veto bills that don't cut the number and cost of earmarks in half or cause agency operating budgets, taken together, to exceed his request.
While top-level congressional leaders haven't made final decisions, elements of the year-end budget package are likely to include:
_Stopgap government funding. Most federal agencies would see their budgets frozen at current levels for several weeks or even into March. Lawmakers want to avoid a postelection "lame duck" session, but fear the White House will force them to return to session in November in hopes Congress would approve a free trade pact with Colombia.
_Security-related budgets. More than $600 billion to fund the 2009 budgets for the Pentagon, Homeland Security Department and the Department of Veterans Affairs.
_Disaster aid. Up to $25 billion in emergency funding for victims of Gulf Coast hurricanes, midwestern floods and other natural disasters.
_Automaker loans. More than $7 billion is provided to subsidize $25 billion in loans to help the "Big Three" U.S. automakers retool their plants to build cleaner, more energy efficient cars.
_Heating subsidies. Democrats want to double the budget to $5.1 billion for a popular program providing heating subsidies for the poor.
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Ahhhhhhh the Democratic Party! Champions of open and honest governance! NOT.
-Matt Hittle
Posted at 07:50AM Sep 23, 2008 by College Republicans in Congress | Comments[0]
