Effort to divert $5.2 billion in stimulus package for Pentagon weapons purchases fails in Senate

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Thursday Feb 5, 2009 10:55:43 EST

The Senate rejected an attempt to divert $5.2 billion of more than $900 billion in economic recovery money to pay for defense weapons purchases.

By 59-38 vote Wednesday night, the Senate blocked an amendment sponsored by Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla., to use money in HR 1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, to restore combat readiness and replace war reserves and prepositioned stockpiles.

The vote came on a procedural motion on which Inhofe needed 60 votes for his amendment to be considered. The vote came in a blizzard of action during which the Senate disposed of about 28 of the more than 300 amendments pending on the recovery bill.

Inhofe argued, unsuccessfully, that spending money on military weapons was a good way to stimulate the economy.

No one spoke against Inhofe’s amendment. Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., the Senate Finance Committee chairman responsible for many provisions in the economy recovery bill, raised a budgetary point of order because passage of the amendment would allow defense spending to exceed budget caps.

http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2009/02/military_inhofe_defensebudget_020509w/

[ChairmanAgnostic]

1. guns, not butter. The Guns Only Party.

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3. Defense already dominates the budget

. . . it's ludicrous to suggest inflating it beyond actual need. Even more ridiculous to rely on those expenditures for 'emergency' stimulus.

[PA Democrat]

2. Inhofe sponsored the amendment. It figures.

"Let them eat bullets." :puke: