Lame Duck Pork

Dear Friends:

Last night, I offered an amendment to prevent the big spenders in the Senate from forcing a giant, pork-filled omnibus spending bill down our throats in the lame duck session following the November elections.

As you probably know, the appropriators in the Senate often wait until the last minute to pass their bills so they can force senators to vote for spending that busts the budget. Senators are given a false choice: either support the excessive spending or be blamed for a government shutdown.

This practice must be stopped.

That is why I offered an amendment to extend the expiration date on the funding resolution that keeps basic government operations in place from December 3, 2010 until February 4, 2011. This would eliminate the need to pass a spending bill during the lame duck session.

In effect, this amendment would prevent the big spenders from threatening a government shutdown to force the Senate to swallow a bloated omnibus spending bill bursting at the seams with earmarks and deficit spending.

We shouldn't let a flock of lame duck legislators who've been rejected by voters at the ballot box and can never be held accountable again to burden our children with a mountain of new debt.

Unfortunately, my amendment was defeated by a vote of 39 to 60. The 60 senators who voted against this amendment did so because they want to pass a budget-busting spending bill after the elections. Even worse, they're willing to hold basic government operations hostage in order to get their way.

Click here here to see how each senator voted.

This is exactly the kind of business as usual in Washington that must be stopped, and it's exactly why we need to elect principled leaders to the Senate who have the courage to stand up to the big spenders in both political parties.

Many politicians in Washington have become so addicted to earmarks for their home states that they're willing to bankrupt the country. It's time to ban earmarks, shut down the congressional favor factory, and remove this gateway drug for higher spending.

Each of our 10 endorsed candidates oppose pork-barrel spending and have pledged to support a ban on earmarks after they're elected. If you want to support their campaigns, you can do so through the Senate Conservatives Fund website. We'll pay the processing fees so they get 100 percent of your donation.

Support the Senate Conservatives

Thank you for your continued support and encouragement. With your help, we can take our country back and stop the Senate from using government shutdowns to pass budget-busting spending bills in the future.

Respectfully,
Jim DeMint Signature