Senate passes earmark-loaded budget bill

Senate passes earmark-loaded budget bill

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Washington » The Senate approved a $410 billion spending bill Tuesday that will fund the federal government until the end of September, overcoming the objections of Republicans who argue the bill costs too much and is chock-full of pet projects.

Utah's GOP Sens. Orrin Hatch and Bob Bennett stood in opposition to the omnibus bill, which ultimately passed on a voice vote and will now go to President Barack Obama for his signature.

Hatch zeroed in on earmarks, while Bennett objected to the overall price tag. Bennett defends the earmarking process and says that some in his own party use it to "mislead" the public.

Their disparate views show a rift among Republicans on earmarks, which has dominated the discussion over the budget bill.

The omnibus bill funds transportation, health, energy, education and a slew of other programs. It includes an 8 percent funding increase over the previous year, not to mention 8,500 earmarks worth about $7.7 billion.

Hatch called it "a big huge spending boondoggle," singling out the pet projects in explaining his "no" vote.

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This is a very troubling bill, given the amount - over 8,500 - of earmarks in it.

Earmarks are defended as being OK since they only spend money that has already been allocated. But if allocations are fiscally sound, then there should be no excess to spend as an earmark, correct?

It used to be that a billion dollars was a significant sum of money. We have become numbed to that word, and the new sum to bandy around is trillions. This is a very troubling sign, and signals worse times to follow.



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