Senate Blinks, Passes “Emergency” Spending Bill
In answer to my question of “Who’ll Blink?” on the so-called emergency supplemental to fund Iraq, Afghanistan, and Katrina relief (other posts on that here and here), the answer’s in: the Senate blinked. The House passed a pared down supplemental of $94.5 billion on Wednesday, and yesterday the Senate followed suit. The bill was approved 98-1, with Senator Specter voting against passage because he argued the bill wasn’t expensive enough. President Bush signed the bill. Importantly, Senate passage was complemented by the 98-0 approval of a proposal (in the form of an amendment to the ’07 DoD authorization bill) to force the Administration to submit its requests for war funds through the normal budget process, rather than via “emergency” spending bills. This was a McCain move, and a good one as long as the Senate sticks to its guns.
[This is one of several "short takes" posted this morning at Charging RINO]
One Response to “Senate Blinks, Passes “Emergency” Spending Bill”
That is not an emergency spending bill. Katrina relief was an emergency spending bill passed with no vote. It is ridiculous to compare this bill with the one that New Orleans rammed through the House and Senate. It is not docracy when Lawmakers pass a bill without a vote.