12-23-2022 1:26pm

Rep. Hern opposes ‘rushed’ spending package

John Dobberstein Editor

U.S. Rep. Kevin Hern, Oklahoma

Source: U.S. Rep. Kevin Hern’s office

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative Kevin Hern (OK-01) released the following statement after voting NO on the Senate Amendment to H.R. 2617 – FY23 Omnibus Appropriations, a $1.8 trillion spending package.

“This bill represents everything that’s wrong with Congress” said Rep. Hern. “Drafted behind closed doors and rushed through Congress less than 48 hours before Christmas. These spending levels are entirely unacceptable – especially during a lame duck session when the American people have decisively given the purse strings back to the Republicans.

“Ramming a bill this large through Congress mere days before Pelosi loses the majority is partisanship at its worst. It’s no wonder the American people have such a low opinion of Congress! Fiscal responsibility must return to Washington in the new year. However, as a direct result of Democrats’ actions today, inflation will continue to worsen for families across the nation.”

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The Senate Amendment to HR 2617 is a $1.85 trillion “Omnibus” bill that funds the government through the end of the fiscal year. The bill increases Fiscal Year 2023 spending by 9%.

Some of the spending provisions in the legislation include:

$0 for securing our southern border.
$410 million for border security in Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Tunisia, and Oman.
$1.5 million to encourage people to eat outdoors in Pasadena.
$1.1 million for a solar array in Kirkland, Washington, a region famous for being cloudy.
$2 million for B360, a group that promotes dirt-bike culture in Baltimore.
$500,000 for a skate park in Rhode Island.
$4.8 million for an environmental impact report on the potential expansion of Chicago’s transit system.
$575 million for “family planning” in areas where population growth threatens biodiversity.
Over $17 million for LGBTQ centers around the country.
$65 million for salmon. The word "salmon" appears in the bill 48 times.
$3 million for bee-friendly highways.
$3.6 million for the "Michelle Obama Trail"
$477k for "antiracist" training from the Equity Institute.
$4.1 million in various career programs for Fairfax County, Virginia (one of the richest counties in the world).
$47 billion to Ukraine, plus the creation of a “Ukrainian Independence Park” in DC.
$300k a year for the Continuous Plankton Recorder.
$2.63 billion for US Attorneys, with an emphasis on January 6th prosecutions and domestic terrorism cases.
$8.6 million for “gender advisor programs” at the Pentagon.
$200 million for a Gender Equity Fund.
$286 million in Title X funding, which funds Planned Parenthood.
$2 million for "improving coordination" in the NYC Mayor's office.