BY WARREN MASS
SEE: https://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/politics/item/30122-trump-calls-854b-spending-bill-ridiculous-over-lack-of-funding-for-wall?vsmaid=1133&vcid=3987; republished below in full unedited for informational, educational and research purposes:
The Senate, by a 93-7 vote, passed an $854 billion spending bill on September 18, the bulk of the funding going to the departments of Defense, Health and Human Services (HHS), Labor, and Education. Six Republican senators — Jeff Flake (Ariz.), Mike Lee (Utah), Rand Paul (Ky.), David Perdue (Ga.), Ben Sasse (Neb.) and Pat Toomey (Pa.) — joined Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) in voting against the bill.
Toomey said the legislation employed budget gimmicks that pushed spending even beyond the spending caps set earlier this year as part of a bipartisan budget deal signed by the White House. “It’s a completely dishonest gimmick to spend $7 billion above the cap that was agreed upon, and it’s really irresponsible,” Toomey remarked.
The legislation also includes a short-term stopgap bill to fund the remainder of the federal government through December 7, thus preventing a government shutdown that would otherwise begin on October 1.
In a post on Twitter on September 20, President Trump criticized the spending bill, writing:
I want to know, where is the money for Border Security and the WALL in this ridiculous Spending Bill, and where will it come from after the Midterms? Dems are obstructing Law Enforcement and Border Security. REPUBLICANS MUST FINALLY GET TOUGH!
Reuters reported that the White House has not yet said whether Trump would sign the measure, if it is also approved by the House, which will have to take up the legislation when it returns to session September 25.
A report in The Hill on September 19 noted that conservative members of the House Freedom Caucus and the Republican Study Committee (RSC), the largest GOP caucus in the House, which often held up appropriations bills in the past by making demands to cut mandatory spending and to advance other conservative priorities, were losing ground in their attempts to check government spending.
“It’s a little bit frustrating right now,” The Hill quoted Representative Mark Walker (R-S.C.), the chairman of the RSC.
One explanation for the conservatives’ loss of influence offered by The Hill was that the congressional leadership has cleverly bundled funding for the labor bill, a major Democratic priority, with funding for the Pentagon, a major Republican priority. For conservatives, voting against the package would mean voting against an increase in defense spending and a raise for the troops.
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SHERIFFS LAUNCH BORDER WALL CROWDFUNDING TO COUNTER CONGRESS
Proposed $854 billion budget by lawmakers lacks complete funding for wall
BY KIT DANIELS
SEE: https://www.infowars.com/sheriffs-launch-border-wall-crowdfunding-to-counter-congress/; republished below in full unedited for informational, educational and research purposes:
The National Sheriffs’ Association is raising private funds for border security in response to Congress blocking funds for a border wall.
So far the association has raised nearly $28,000 out a goal for $100,000 which sheriffs say will help “support the replacement and upgrades to current barriers and fencing” among other things.
According to SheriffsWall.org:
100% of your tax-deductible donation will go to secure America’s southern border! Together we can save taxpayer money, make our communities safer and build American Pride!
Congress must act to pass legislation to secure our borders through enforcing immigration laws, tightening border security, support the replacement and upgrades to current barriers and fencing and construction of barriers along the U.S. and Mexico international boundary as requested by those areas where it is needed, suspending and/or monitoring the issuance of visas to any place where adequate vetting cannot occur, end criminal cooperation and shelter in cities, counties, and states, and have zero tolerance and increased repercussions for criminal aliens.
The overall goal of the campaign, according to the association, is to “help local law enforcement along the border take their communities’ safety into their own hands.”
The sheriffs seem to have taken more of an interest in border security than Congress has lately; lawmakers sent a proposed budget to President Trump on Tuesday which lacked funding for a border wall.
“I want to know, where is the money for Border Security and the WALL in this ridiculous spending bill, and where will it come from after the midterms?” The president asked in a Thursday morning tweet. “Dems are obstructing law enforcement and border security.”
“Republicans must finally get tough!”
In contrast, the $854 billion budget, which passed the Senate with a 93-7 vote, includes “$674.4 billion Defense appropriation, $3.8 billion to fight the opioid epidemic, $725 million for community block grants, and increases for Pell grants and the National Institute of Health,” according to UPI.
