[Vision2020] Fw: CRAPO OPPOSES CATCH-ALL SPENDING BILL

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-----Original message-----

From: "Crapo News Release (Crapo)" newsclips at crapo.senate.gov
Date: Tue, 18 Dec 2007 21:09:25 -0800
To: 
Subject: CRAPO OPPOSES CATCH-ALL SPENDING BILL

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:    Susan Wheeler (202) 224-5150

December 18, 2007
Lindsay Nothern (208) 344-1108

 

 

 

CRAPO OPPOSES CATCH-ALL SPENDING BILL 

Votes "on principle" against lengthy last-minute legislation

 

Washington, DC - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo tonight voted against S. 2754,
the State, Foreign Operations Appropriation Act, saying the vote is "on
principle" to protest a rushed, wrong and irresponsible way to fund the
federal government.  Crapo noted the measure is one of the most
expensive and largest bills to come before the Senate and was being
rushed through to a vote in less than 48 hours.  The measure passed the
Senate by a vote of 76 to 17, with one Senator voting "present." 

 

Crapo said it is obvious to all taxpayers that the Senate has not
allowed for the time to adequately review the contents of a bill running
more than 3,400 pages.  He said even a cursory review shows the
legislation contains language which reduces our commitment to secure our
borders and contains budget maneuvers and emergency designations to run
spending billions of dollars above agreed levels while critical Idaho
initiatives such as fighting methamphetamine and domestic violence are
cut.  Crapo, a member of the Senate Budget Committee, said Congress must
allow for a more careful spending process:

 

"Shouldn't we be able to cast an informed vote on one of the largest
spending bills ever?  H.R. 2764 is a sad testament to Congress's
inability to draft and pass responsible federal funding legislation.
I'm very disappointed that critical funding for drug abuse education
efforts, crime victims and, more specifically, victims of domestic
violence has been stripped from this bill.  

 

"Idaho will lose more than ten percent of Victims of Crime Act Funding,
money, incidentally, which is paid by perpetrators of crime, not
American taxpayers.  We are going backward, not forward, with
preventative efforts to stop domestic violence.  Furthermore, funding
for programs that help victims of sexual assault in 15 cities in Idaho
and a program that has helped thousands of Idaho schoolchildren learn of
the dangers of Internet predators was eliminated during the conference
process on this omnibus spending bill.  

 

"Justice Assistance Grants have been significantly reduced.  The Office
of National Drug Control Policy Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign was
significantly cut, which jeopardizes important anti-drug and,
particularly anti-meth education efforts for Idaho's youth.  Although I
have supported many, many projects in this bill, in my view, victims of
domestic violence and our at-risk youth are the clear losers in this
legislation.  Because of these shortfalls and my overall distaste for
the rush behind this effort, I have to vote against the bill." 

 

 

To directly link to this news release, please use the following address:


http://crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/release_full.cfm?id=289446

 

 

# # #

 

FOR INTERESTED MEDIA: A radio actuality is available by calling
1-800-545-1267.  Press 327 at any time during or after the greeting and
instructions.  You can also access the actuality through the Internet at
http://src.senate.gov/radio/.

 

 

......................................................................

This is generated from an unattended mailbox. If you have constituent
comments or information you would like forwarded to Senator Crapo,
please do so at the Senator's website, http://crapo.senate.gov
<http://crapo.senate.gov/> . Comments sent to this e-mail address will
not be responded to.


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