Up until 2008, there was a definite process for funding our government. It involved separate spending bills for each department. Up until that time, there were still government shutdowns, but they were rare. The current House of Representatives is trying to bring us back to the regular order of passing budgets.<\/p>\n
On Saturday, The Daily Signal<\/a> reported:<\/p>\n The House of Representatives <\/a>took a major step toward averting another government shutdown when it passed a funding package Thursday.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n But perhaps more importantly, House Freedom Caucus<\/a> members influenced the process around the bill\u2019s consideration in ways they say could help government spending in the future.<\/strong><\/p>\n The House\u2019s \u201cminibus\u201d package covers three of the 12 funding areas for the federal government: Energy-Water, Interior-Environment, and Commerce-Justice-Science. Appropriators have attempted to reconcile both chambers\u2019 priorities, and the package will be considered in the Senate next week.<\/strong><\/p>\n The article concludes:<\/p>\n House Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Harris,<\/a> R-Md., told The Daily Signal after the vote on Thursday that he views the outcome as a victory for his caucus, which has long called for separate votes on individual appropriations bills.<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve already done away with what we call the \u2018Christmas omnibus\u2019 [where] you pile all 12 bills together, you work them out in a smoke-filled room, nobody has any chance to say anything about them,\u201d Harris said.<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cWhat we did today for the first time ever is say, \u2018oh, and by the way, we\u2019re going to have a separate vote on some of the bills,’\u201d he added.<\/strong><\/p>\n Harris also praised the stripping of the \u201cvery offensive million-dollar earmark to a Somali led organization where the brother of the organizer was arrested as a terrorist.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n In Harris\u2019 view, the process this process should be replicated in the future.<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cThe framework we\u2019ve laid out, especially this past week, allows us to\u2026 return to\u2026 what we call regular order:<\/a> Each bill considered separately, amendments allowed on the floor\u2014you know, the way it was when I\u00a0first came here, and the way we should return to.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n The legislation could still face headwinds in the Senate, though, where Paul is complaining of \u201cbillions in refugee money\u201d<\/a> in the bills.<\/strong><\/p>\n There is too much pork in the bills. However, until we elect people who actually have a sense of fiscal responsibility, we have to consider what will actually pass Congress.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Up until 2008, there was a definite process for funding our government. It involved separate spending bills for each department. Up until that time, there were still government shutdowns, but they were rare. The current House of Representatives is trying … Continue reading