Iraq Spending Package Faces Bumps in Congress

[leftchick]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20050216/ts_nm/congress_budget_dc&cid=564&ncid=1480

<snip>
Foreign assistance in Bush's budget, which is separate from money requested in the Iraq package, may also get cut from the level he asked for as lawmakers choose to divert the money to domestic priorities.


Democrats are angry at the administration's inclusion in the emergency Iraq package of billions of dollars dodges the regular budget process. Emergency spending is counted as an off-budget expense.


"To call them emergency, last-minute needs is misleading, fiscally irresponsible, and prevents Congress from exercising proper oversight over vital programs and efforts," said California Rep. Ellen Tauscher (news, bio, voting record).


Another potential drag on the quick approval of the package is the attachment of a House-passed immigration bill that could make it harder for foreigners to seek asylum and stops illegal immigrants from getting drivers licenses.

[cthrumatrix]

1. right --- they will fold like a card table

corporations own our govt


the rest is all SHOW for our entertainment

[Greenberg240]

3. Exactly!!!

[Pirate Smile]

2. "misleading, fiscally irresponsible, and prevents Congress from exercising

proper oversight" - That describes the entire relationship between this WH and Congress - with the Congressional GOP's acquiescence or outright approval.

[TahitiNut]

4. It's NOT an "off-budget expense" - it's an "unbudgeted" outlay

:eyes: The terms "on-budget" and "off-budget" have very specific meanings regarding the kind of expenditure, and have little to do with whether the funds were included in a budget appropriation or supplemental appropriation. The most insidious impact of such supplemental appropriations is their absence in various reports and statistics describing federal spening until the budget cycle following the close of that fiscal year. For example, just now are the actual (including supplementals) outlays during FY2004 being reflected in historical budget data.