Obey Signs His Own Paycheck, Ignores Real Priorities

Obey Signs His Own Paycheck, Ignores Real Priorities

Profile in Courage: Fund Congress First

Washington- David Obey took another shot at his own credibility today when he essentially signed his own paycheck while ignoring more pressing legislative issues. Obey, chairman of the powerful House Appropriations Committee, used some legislative trickery to force a vote to either fund Congress or shut down the federal government entirely:

“The House is scheduled to vote Friday on the first appropriations conference report of the year.

“The $4.7 billion legislative-branch appropriations bill, one of the smallest of the annual spending measures, is packaged with a continuing resolution allowing the government to operate into the next fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1. The resolution is needed because none of the 2010 spending bills have been signed into law.” (Walter Alarkon, “House Prepares for Spending Vote Amid Heavy GOP Attacks,” The Hill, 9/25/09)

While Obey is busy making sure he gets his next paycheck, he’s also kicking the can down the road for critical funding issues (Source: LOC). Rather than addressing appropriations bills that could soon be ready to come to the floor for a vote such as funding the Department of Homeland Security and several other federal agencies, Obey has made it his top – and perhaps his only – priority to line his own pockets.

“David Obey’s decision to sign his own paycheck while ignoring critical legislative issues is proof positive that he’s been in Washington far too long,” said NRCC Communications Director Ken Spain. “While Obey is busy making sure he gets his next payday, he has shirked his duty to address real issues that actually affect people outside of Washington. By putting his own salary before the safety and security of the American people, Obey has sent a loud and clear signal to Wisconsin voters that he has no interest in representing them.”

Though it should come as no surprise that a Washington lifer like David Obey has turned his back on Wisconsin families and the American people, Obey’s repeated disregard for his duties as an elected official is a sure sign that his day of reckoning will come the next time Wisconsin voters head to the polls.

###