THE BACHMANN BULLETIN

House Passes $410-Billion Spending Bill

Just a couple of weeks after passing the $792-billion “stimulus” spending bill, the U.S. House of Representatives has passed a $410-billion omnibus appropriations bill to fund government programs through September 30, 2009.

Regrettably, the bill – which was littered with about 9,000 earmarks and included funding for 162 federal programs that had just received hundreds of billions in the “stimulus” package – again missed the mark and I had to vote against it. Here is my statement from debate on this spending bill:



“Last night, President Obama repeatedly expressed a desire to pass fiscally responsible legislation, his fear of passing a mountain of debt to future generations, and his intention to greatly reduce the federal deficit.



“All sentiments with which I couldn’t agree more.”



“However, only two weeks after passing a $1.1-trillion economic “stimulus” package and a week after presenting a $275-billion plan to address less than 8% of American mortgages, Washington Democrats today are bringing to the floor an appropriations bill that represents the largest discretionary spending increase, aside from legislation after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, since the Carter Administration.



“If we look back on the last 19 months, you’ll find that the U.S. government has pledged more than $11.6 trillion on behalf of American taxpayers to dig our nation out of the recession – and that doesn’t even include the $410 billion we are about to spend in this latest spending bill.



“Where is the fiscal responsibility?



“Even more incredulous is the fact that this omnibus appropriations bill contains funding for many of the same agencies and programs that already received funds in the so-called “stimulus” bill—162 programs in fact. For instance, it provides $2.9 billion for the 2010 census even though $1 billion was already allocated for this project in the “stimulus” package. We also have funding for the National Endowment for the Arts, which, fresh off receiving $50 million from the “stimulus,” is now in line to receive $138 million in this latest proposal.



“The combined fiscal year 2009 funding for these “double-dipping” programs is $680 billion—a whopping 80% increase in spending.



“Furthermore, the Democrat majority is once again using a massive spending bill to shove sweeping national policy changes through Congress without public scrutiny and without proper debate. This bill contains language to terminate the District of Columbia’s successful school voucher program; it eliminates the “Reading First” program within the Department of Education; and it drastically undercuts construction and design funding for Yucca Mountain, a key component to any plan that puts America on the path to energy independence. The merit of these programs aside, a sweeping spending bill—especially one with no opportunity to amend—is not the appropriate place for any of these measures to be considered.



“Enough is enough. The American taxpayer is already struggling in this weakened economy and it is time Congress started to show respect to the American people and stop increasing the weight of their financial burdens. The spending spree has to stop now.”



Bachmann Supports Workers' Right to Secret Ballot

Last year, the House of Representatives passed legislation that would deny workers the right to a secret ballot when deciding whether to unionize. Along with the Chamber of Commerce, NFIB, and a variety of organizations that represent union members (including the Fraternal Order of Police and the American Hospital Association), I strongly oppose this legislation, which is commonly known as Card Check, and have cosponsored legislation which would instead protect the right to a secret ballot, one of our most cherished rights as Americans.

The Employee Free Choice Act, which imposes Card Check on all workers is supported by the Administration and labor unions. It would force employees to make a decision about whether or not to support union organization right in front of their co-workers and right in front of the organizers. If union organizers collect enough cards from employees indicating interest in a union, the union would be certified. And, there’s more than ample anecdotal evidence about the use of coercion and intimidation in collecting those cards.



The Secret Ballot Protection Act, which I have cosponsored, would ensure that unionization will never come about as a result of force or threats.



The right to a secret ballot is one of the most cherished of American freedoms and it should always be protected. At a time when our government spends billions of dollars to advance and support free elections around the world, it makes no sense to abolish federally protected private ballots in our own workplace.