Dear Senators,

Today, you will consider H.R. 2764, the 11-bill Consolidated Appropriations Act for 2008.  This behemoth bill, more than 3,400 pages in length, is loaded with budget gimmicks, such as approximately $11 billion in emergency spending, much of it for non-emergencies.  There are also more than 9,000 earmarks.  H.R. 2764 was released to the public yesterday after midnight and now, with barely a day to read and digest its contents, you are expected to vote on this monstrous bill.  On behalf of the more than 1.2 million members and supporters of the Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW), I ask that you oppose this spending bill.

The emergency spending of $11 billion provides funds for many non-emergencies such as $225 million for the GSA Federal Building Fund and the border fence, $2.7 billion in border security funds and homeland security accounts, and $100 million for presidential security at political conventions.  Considering the nation has had a border security problem for some time and the two major political parties hold a national convention every four years, it is difficult to argue that these can be considered emergencies.  Others, such as $400 million for the special supplemental nutrition program for woman, infants, and children, $56.5 million the World Trade Center, and $250 million for LIHEAP could have been funded in the regular appropriations process.  In reality, the emergency supplemental is nothing more than a budget gimmick to increase spending elsewhere in the Omnibus bill.

The Omnibus contains thousands of pork projects and policy riders that will not be known or understood for weeks.  It cannot feel comfortable voting on such a massive bill that you have had only one day to review.  I urge you to vote against the Omnibus bill.  All votes on H.R. 2764 will be among those considered for CCAGW’s 2007 Congressional Ratings.