Democrats are trying to put the last nail in the coffin of the Budget Control Act of 2011, one of the few remaining semblances of fiscal restraint left in Washington.
This week, the House likely will vote on a plan to raise the law’s discretionary spending caps by at least $357 billion for 2020-2021. As has far too often become the case in Congress, none of the proposed new funding will be paid for with cuts to other programs.
The country is over $22 trillion in debt. It is past time for Congress to get serious about spending reforms and prioritizing precious taxpayer dollars.
Democrats’ plan to raise the caps imposed by the Budget Control Act is the latest in a series of attempts to divert more money to programs and activities that the federal government shouldn’t be involved in. In the process, it would burden Americans with even more deficit spending.
The latest deal would raise total base discretionary spending by $357 billion over two years. Of the new funding, $178 billion would go toward national defense while the other $179 billion would be reserved for domestic programs.
On top of the additional base funding, the bill would allow for $77 billion in Overseas Contingency Operations funding in 2020, $1.15 billion for additional IRS tax enforcement efforts through 2021, and $7.5 billion to carry out the 2020 census.
All of this spending would add to the deficit.
Funding for overseas contingency operations may be needed in 2020 to ensure our military is properly equipped. However, the designation has been far too often abused to fill gaps in the Defense Department and State Department budgets. Congress should begin phasing this funding and reserve it only for times of true emergencies and unforeseen events.
The other proposed adjustments to the caps in the Budget Control Act are more problematic and set a dangerous precedent. These are recurring expenses.
Congress has had 10 years to prepare for the census. It’s unfair to taxpayers for Congress to add $7.5 billion to the deficit just because lawmakers chose not to plan ahead.
That’s one of the major problems with the ongoing cycle of two-year budget deals. No planning or foresight goes into them; rather, Congress forces federal agencies to live from one crisis to the next.
Also troubling is the fact that House Democrats are trying to portray this irresponsible spending plan as a “budget.”
An actual budget resolution sets out levels of spending, revenues, deficits, and debt to which the federal government is supposed to adhere. These may cover an indefinite period of time, as long as the resolution projects out at least five years.
Budget resolutions do not become law, but the levels laid out by a resolution may be enforced by Congress through budgetary points of order. However, budgets unlock the process known as reconciliation, which can result in legislation that becomes law and is a key tool available to Congress to make major reforms happen.
To be clear, a bill to raise discretionary spending limits is in no way, shape, or form a budget resolution.
Congress has a statutory duty to produce a budget resolution before April 15 of each year. The Senate Budget Committee at least tried to do its part by approving a five-year budget plan. The House is not making a legitimate attempt at developing a budget, a clear dereliction of its duty.
The lack of a fiscal year 2020 budget in the House shows why reforms such as the No Budget, No Pay Act are needed. Unless persuaded to do their jobs, some lawmakers are content to do the minimum and avoid making sometimes difficult funding choices.
The House should go back to the drawing board and work with the Senate to develop a real budget plan that includes reconciliation instructions that will reduce spending and put deficit and debt levels on a downward path.
Raising the spending caps lets lawmakers off the hook from budgeting. If every part of the federal government gets a raise, lawmakers don’t have to prioritize spending.
Unfortunately, taxpayers and future generations who will be burdened by more debt are the real losers.
Dems DONT Care about Voters or the nation since WE voted for Pres Trump & WE suffer.
Purge Congress & Deep State.
I dont care about Dems anymore.
Dems BLOCK our Futures.
We Lose.
Look at US budget since 1965
The left has one agenda. Destroy America. I know there are many who would disagree with this assessment. But they have to ignore everything the left is doing to deny the fact that when liberals are in charge, everything begins to circle the drain.
Dems are putting the country on the road to destruction
Dems are destroying America. They are blind from hatred. They only know hate and destroy.
See CAGW.org & apply to budget & other sources to CUT Govt waste alone
I’m both surprised and disappointed that Congressional leaders haven’t put forth a long-term plan to get us out of debt. It’s no wonder–it’s OUR money! They think that as long as there are taxpayers, they can run up the debt. If they can’t get their brains in gear, then I’m all for across-the-board cuts, such as the 5% cut that President Trump proposed at one point.
When I owned a business, I used income during the GOOD times to pay down debt that I surely didn’t want to stress over when income was meager. No Budget–No Pay!
Why don’t all of us honest citizens stop paying taxes until we make sure the money is being spent as intended.
Demorats only care about destroying Americans
The Democrats are trying to take this Country down the tubes. America has gone to HELL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.
Dumbocrats and Swamp Republicans will NEVER figure out how to Balance a Checkbook, nonetheless Create a Budget. If we ever find some Candidates who will PROMISE to Balance the Budget, every voting American regardless of Political affiliation should make a Beeline to the Voting Booth, and put that individual in Charge of our City’s, States, and the Federal Government.
The democrats need to get their ?hands out of our pockets
The democrats need to get their hands out of our pockets
I know I and most Taxpayers who are the BOSS of these crazy politicians want the budget cut on their wasting of Taxpayers Money like Planned parenthood which is NOT needed there is plenty of medical facilities people can go so get rid of it, giving money to NFL if they can pay these outrageous money to players than they don’t need a dime from Taxpayers, they can build their own stadiums get rid of them. Studies on which mustard is the best get rid of it, on mating habits of animals we don’t need to know this crazy stuff, forcing cross breeding of animals wrong get rid of it, a lot of other stupid garbage and shut down these schools that are not teaching our children but trying to copy hitler, shut them down if our schools can’t teach the real truth not one sided garbage close them down there is so much Waist they need to close it down plus these sneaking in stuff we don’t want and don’t need, cut their pay they don’t do enough for what they are paid, make Congress part time so no more retirement, medical, and all these fancy benefits removed they are NOT ENTITLED to anything better than a ford workers on the line and that is a fact
I don’t watch the news anymore because most of News only tells us what they think we want to here at least the ones on TV. Billions and billions of dollars years down the road ,then when someone says something about it they do the blame card we did not do this it was done years ago . All of the people in congress becoming millionaires no wonder they don’t want Term Limits .
Washington has NO PLAN to EVER cut anything or live within their means! Both parties want power and money is what’s accumulated to acquire that power so we the taxpayers are ALWAYS going to pay the price. Our system has evolved into another serf and master scheme with politicians using the tax system to keep us all in line and buy votes!!!! Until our country starts teaching self reliance and producing real adults coming out of our education system instead of sissy immature voters buying into all the socialist crap being fed them, our country is going to continue to devolve into a cesspool of government over the people! Someday this spending is going to go to far and collapse the whole system!!! Here we come America…another Venezuela!
Get rid of agencies and programs that should not be funded by the government, e.g., education, planned parenthood, foreign aid to countries that hate us, etc. Build the wall and save money in supporting illegal aliens. No pensions for Congress or Presidents. No career politicians. They have higher education and can find other employment after two terms. Too many become enamored to power and think that we are the peons that need to work to pay for their pet projects.
The dimocraps only know how to spend other peoples money……but to be honest some of the Republicans
are no better. It’s only a short matter of time till the credit card is maxed and the bill comes due. Who is going pay it? Our children and grand children: and their lives will never recover from the cost!!!
told ya term limits where needed
they are sure to blame Trump
As expected, this is the type of legislation a Democrat controlled House will be putting forth for the next two years. Elections have consequences and one of those consequences is that Democrats would pursue, by any means within their power, a way to drastically increase wasteful and unnecessary social spending and ineffective government programs. Which of course further inflates our national deficit, that we all end up having to pay ever increasing taxes on in oder to cover the annual interest rate debt payments to holders of our national debt. That annual interest rate debt currently now exceeds $800 billion dollars a year out of a federal budget of $4.4 trillion dollars.
That is money that should remain in the pockets of taxpayers, if only enough voters had the sense to vote for candidates that were both fiscally and constitutionally conservative. A much smaller federal government ,doing a whole lot less things that fall outside the boundaries of what the Constitution origjnally authorized, is the only way to get runaway federal spending under control. There are no magic fixes to this problem and the public’s lack of will to do what is right for the country’s long-term financial viability is having very real consequences even now. Sadly, not nearly enough of the voting public is willing to do so, as evidenced by the mid-term results. Kicking the can down the road until we run out of road. Which isn’t as far off as many here might hope for. So in the meatime, we end up with the kind of nonsense this article describes.
If you overspend, you break the country. This is what the ruthless, lawless Democraps are trying to do. It’s part of the way Socialism “works”.
I am a conservative and Republican and will never vote for a Democratic. That said, this is a problem that both parties have been very derelict to address. Neither Republicans nor Democrats have done an adequate job dealing with spending and the increasing problem of our national debt.
who said the only good devilcrat is a dead one?
Stop giving money to these countries that are trying to invade us. They are just here for what they can get. If they really want to become citizen, they can do it the way people did years back. Stop funding some of the government programs like college. When they get a loan from some company and they quit paying, then the government pays, let the company that made the loan suffer the loss, not the government.
THAT’S HOW THE DUMOS ARE – THEY ARE LIKE A TEENAGER WHO GETS A CREDIT CARD AND DOESN’T HAVE ANY BRAINS AS TO HOW TO USE IT – JUST KEEP SPENDING AND WASTING OUR MONEY
I remember back when the House and Senate would write their separate budgets and then compromise on a final product. Then came ObeyMe.
This “elderly” (putting it nicely) woman needs to go home and be with her family…UNLESS THEY CAN’T STAND HER AND WANT HER TO STAY IN D.C. If that is the case,
Once the people learns that they could elect leaders who would give them FREE federal money and benefits, it was the beginning of the end. As the democrats and socialist scatters this money throughout the nation, the welfare state spreads its dependency, and families are destroyed as the need for fathers is removed. This becomes another serious vulnerability to our country since solid families are the core foundation of all successful nations!
These weak leaders stay in office as long as they keep promising more federal money and benefits to their constituents.
Buying votes.
As we watch the government wandering from one bad idea to another, creating more rules and laws for our nation that is already over ruled and over regulated, we wonder with dread and anticipation what idea might tickle the fancy of the political elite!
When the wicked rule, the people mourn.
Honest and wise men and women should be sought for diligently!
2020 will be our most important election in our lifetime and future!
STOP this madness! No more funding for things we have no business funding.
I am confused. We had to shut down for budget & yet it is okay to ask more from our taxes. What are the Demoncrats trying to do?