COCHRAN ENCOURAGES DILIGENT PROGRESS BY SENATORS
ON INDIVIDUAL APPROPRIATIONS BILLS

Says Nation Better Served by Avoiding Need for Omnibus Appropriations Bill

(Cochran Radio Actuality Available Here)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss) today strongly encouraged his fellow Senators to work diligently to complete all 12 appropriations bills individually, giving all lawmakers the opportunity to influence the annual spending bills.

Cochran, ranking Republican on the Senate Appropriations Committee, addressed the status of the appropriations process in a floor speech Tuesday during Senate debate on the FY2010 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Bill—the fifth of 12 appropriations measures to be taken up by the Senate. 

October 1 marks the start of the 2010 federal fiscal year, and Congress has yet to give final approval to any of the 12 appropriations bills that fund federal agencies and programs.    

“I believe strongly that all members should have the opportunity to consider the bills and participate in this process, offer amendments if they choose to do so.  But with the end of the fiscal year approaching and floor time becoming a precious commodity, we should not have to spend large blocks of time in quorum calls, waiting for Senators to offer amendments,” Cochran said.

“At some point, the bills will have to be taken up and passed one way or another,” he said.  “In the past, this has meant packaging bills together into omnibus bills and we know how well that’s received—not at all.  And all but a few members will lose the opportunity to really participate and contribute through the amendment process and debate and influence the outcome of conference reports.”

In his speech, Cochran also discussed his apprehension with the Administration’s spending proposals, but said those concerns have not convinced him that an omnibus appropriations bill would be advantageous.
           
“While an omnibus appropriations bill would highlight the problems with the President’s spending policies, I do not think that that course of action would be helpful to the process.  By considering the bills individually, though, all Senators will be given an opportunity to have meaningful input and participation in the process and that is as it should be,” Cochran said.

The following is the text of Cochran’s remarks to the Senate:

"Mr. President, the Senate Appropriations Committee has reported all 12 appropriations bills for Fiscal Year 2010, and the Senate has considered and passed four of those bills.  I expect that the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Bill we’re now considering will be the fifth.

"I’m pleased that the full Senate has had the opportunity to consider and debate the policies and priorities embodied in these bills.  All Senators have had the opportunity to question the managers and to offer amendments if they wanted to do so.

"By next week, I expect the House and Senate will be convening conference committees to complete action on the bills that have already passed the Senate.  It is a fact, however, that there are only two weeks remaining in the fiscal year.  We will probably need to pass a short-term continuing resolution to keep the remainder of the government running beyond September 30.  While we anticipate that we’ll be able to pass such a resolution, I think it is important that we complete action on the remaining appropriations bills as soon as possible.

"We sent a letter dated March 24 to the Majority Leader of the Senate, suggested by the distinguished Senator from Tennessee, Mr. Corker, back last March, and in that letter we requested the leadership allocate an appropriate amount of time for the Senate to consider, vote and initiate the conference process on each of the 12 appropriations bills independently through a deliberative and transparent process.  That letter stated a goal of passing eight of the 12 bills before the August recess.  And while the Senate did not meet that goal of passing eight bills before the August recess, I think we did make great progress.  And I have to congratulate the distinguished chairman from Washington for helping lead the way and help us achieve that progress.

"To a degree, we have been hampered by the lateness of the president’s budget request and the necessity of waiting for the House to pass the appropriations bills first.  But the House has now passed all of its bills and we have a window of floor time available to consider the remaining bills here in the Senate.

"I believe strongly that all members should have the opportunity to consider the bills and participate in this process, offer amendments if they choose to do so.  But with the end of the fiscal year approaching and floor time becoming a precious commodity, we should not have to spend large blocks of time in quorum calls, waiting for Senators to offer amendments.  At some point, the bills will have to be taken up and passed one way or another.

"In the past, this has meant packaging bills together into omnibus bills and we know how well that’s received—not at all.  And all but a few members will lose the opportunity to really participate and contribute through the amendment process and debate and influence the outcome of conference reports.

"Mr. President, I have concerns about the budget proposed by the President, most of which is embodied in the Congressional Budget Resolution that provides the framework for the appropriations process.  I voted for several amendments to the budget resolution which would reduce spending from the levels proposed by the President.  I also voted against the resolution itself.  I think the level of debt that we have accumulated is alarming.

"The fact remains, however, that Congress has approved the President’s budget.    While an omnibus appropriations bill would highlight the problems with the President’s spending policies, I do not think that that course of action would be helpful to the process.  By considering the bills individually, though, all Senators will be given an opportunity to have meaningful input and participation in the process and that is as it should be.

"So I look forward to continuing to work with the distinguished chairman, Mr. Inouye, our subcommittee chairs and our two leaders and all Senators to complete the appropriations process in an orderly and timely fashion that will reflect credit on the United States Senate."