Appropriations Committee Dems Throw Away Opportunity to Cut Spending, Reduce Deficit

July 1, 2010

FYI, a version of the release below went out to the following districts: Sanford Bishop (GA-02); Allen Boyd (FL-02); Lincoln Davis (TN-04); Chet Edwards (TX-17); Maurice Hinchey (NY-22) and Marcy Kaptur (OH-09).

Boyd Throws Away Opportunity to Cut Spending, Reduce Deficit
Florida Democrat Refuses to Address Runaway Spending Spree

Washington- Allen Boyd was handed a golden opportunity late yesterday when given a chance to cut spending in the Agriculture, Rural Development, and FDA appropriations bill, a Democrat-authored spending bill moving through the House Appropriations Committee. Instead, Boyd sent a signal to both his constituents and his party leaders that he remains a reliable vote for the Democrats’ runaway spending agenda.

When Republicans called for a vote to cut $200 million in spending during a subcommittee meeting, Boyd joined a united Democrat front to quickly kill the measure. When Republicans attempted to compromise by calling for a vote to cut only $100 million – about half a percent of the total spending package – from the bill, Boyd still adamantly refused. Instead, Boyd endorsed his party’s reckless spending sprees by rejecting any cuts to the $23 billion package. (Source: CQ)

“Other Republican attempts to reduce the bill’s spending were similarly rebuffed. Amendments by Tom Latham, R-Iowa, to cut the bill’s total spending, first by $200 million and then by $100 million, were rejected by 4-8 votes, which Republicans found infuriating.

“‘We are considering this Agriculture bill today in a vacuum, without a budget or even an overall spending limit, and we have no knowledge of how the funding in this legislation fits into the overall budget picture,’ Jerry Lewis of California, the ranking Republican on the full Appropriations Committee, said in a statement.” (Ben Weyl, “Subcommittee Approves Fiscal 2011 Agriculture Spending Bill,” CQ, 6/30/10)

“Allen Boyd continues to whistle past the graveyard as Democrats spend the country into oblivion,” said NRCC Communications Director Ken Spain. “It’s time to address Washington’s reckless spending spree and cut the deficit, but Boyd can’t even bring himself to sign off on a minor spending cut. How can Florida taxpayers expect Boyd to be serious about solving our looming fiscal crisis when he continues to march in lock-step with the same party leaders that got us into this mess?”

Will Allen Boyd ever make a serious effort to back away from the Democrats’ reckless agenda, or will it take a defeat on Election Day before he finally gets the message that enough is enough?

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