Watching the new Republican Congress work together almost makes me wish for gridlock. Spending is out of control. One of the first measures passed by the party of limited government is a massive, record-breaking spending bill for FY 2003. The GOP didn’t waste any time smashing open the piggy bank.

This week, President Bush will sign into law a $397.5 billion omnibus appropriations conference bill that, when combined with the defense and military construction appropriations that were agreed on last year, will increase federal discretionary spending 7.8 percent over 2002 outlays. When the bill is enacted, it will cap a two-year spending spree in which the federal budget grew by 22 percent. Astonishingly, the only time the federal budget grew larger – 24.5 percent – was between 1976-1978 when Democrats controlled both the Congress and the presidency.

President’s Budget

Congressional critics of the President’s $2.23 trillion budget proposal have narrowly focused their complaints on tax cuts and budget deficits. Have they forgotten that under our system of government the president proposes a budget and the Congress appropriates? Have they forgotten that the president has proposed the largest federal budget in history? If they do not like the size of the budget deficit, why don’t they start with trimming some of the excess spending in the president’s budget?

On Monday, President Bush sent his budget request to Congress. While not surprising, the budget is sobering. Beyond the tax cuts and initiatives outlined in last week’s State of the Union address, the new budget demonstrates the growing expanse of government and the urgent need for Medicare and Social Security reform. As the budget makes quite clear, if today’s deficits are disconcerting, the mounting liabilities of Social Security and Medicare are cataclysmic. The president outlines an ambitious agenda: “winning the war against terrorism, securing the homeland, and generating long-run economic growth,” all while tackling the excessive government spending and the looming fiscal crises of Social Security and Medicare.

© 2002 Copley News Service, 1/28/2003

Faced with the daunting task of approving the spending bills for the fiscal year that began last October as well as beginning work on the president’s tax package, the Senate remains locked in debates over federal spending. The President has urged the new majority to pass an omnibus spending bill swiftly for the 2003 budget, but Democrats (and many Republicans) continue to seek opportunities to expand federal spending, which explains some of the hostility towards tax relief. In recent years Congress has developed a healthy appetite for spending, and returning money to taxpayers is like saying no to a second helping of desert.

Last week, members of the Senate leadership from both sides of the aisle finally agreed to a reorganization plan for the chamber. Though the funding levels and the makeup of the committees are resolved, Democrats led by Senator Daschle achieved their aim to slow the Republican momentum gained by the November election.

Massive Spending Bill Rolling Your Way The Pittsburgh Steelers made the playoffs this year behind massive running back Jerome “The Bus” Bettis, but they’ve got nothing on Congress. The folks up on Capitol Hill are preparing an “Ominbus” Appropriations bill for nearly all 2003 discretionary spending. The Omnibus will roll through town carrying all 11 Appropriations bills that the 107th Congress didn’t finish—a total of $385 billion in spending. Despite the bill’s huge size, Senate Democrats are preparing an arsenal of amendments to add even more spending. The Omnibus may also attract a number of legislative “riders” from both Republicans and Democrats that attempt to make changes in non-spending laws like the Clean Air Act and the Energy Regulatory Commission.

This op-ed originally appeared in Investor's Business Daily on January 3, 2003 State budgets have rarely, if ever, been in worse condition than they are today. According to the National Association of State Budget Officers, the total deficit for state budgets nationwide stands at $40 billion in this fiscal year, with another $40 billion shortfall expected for 2003. Such a glaring disparity between revenues and outlays has led legislatures and governors across the nation to retrench and meet for special sessions to address the problem.