(Washington, D.C.) – Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) today named the entire U.S. Congress the November Porker of the Month for passing the pork-laden fiscal 2005 Consolidated Appropriations Act.  The spending package contains nine of the 13 appropriations bills that will fund the federal government through September 2005.  The President’s signature is being held up by an obscure provision, drafted by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and inserted by an unknown congressional staffer, that would have given the appropriations committees the power to view the income tax returns of any American.  The omnibus bill contains more than 11,000 pork-barrel projects.       

An omnibus bill stuffed with pork comes as no surprise.  Such a catch-all spending package removes the accountability that comes from analyzing and voting on appropriations bills separately.  The IRS fiasco shows that the appropriations process is completely out of control.  Virtually anything could be lurking in this bill, including provisions that have nothing to do with appropriations.  The chaotic and secretive nature of the process encourages legislative mischief and meddling from special interests.  It is not uncommon for the original copies of appropriations bills to have hand-written changes scribbled in by anonymous congressional staffers at the last minute.  It is impossible to determine the authorship of specific provisions, meaning nobody is held accountable or reprimanded for huge blunders like the IRS provision. 

However much members of Congress try to blame the “system” for the yearly budget mess, in reality Congress is responsible for corrupting that system.  Members routinely vote to suspend the rules that are designed to enforce budget discipline.  In April, Congress voted down a bill that would have revived caps on appropriations and pay-as-you-go budget rules.  Congress voted to raise the debt “ceiling” that imposes a limit on the burden left to future generations.  In a rush to get home for Thanksgiving, members of Congress voted to suspend the rule requiring three days of deliberation before voting on the omnibus (then they express outrage that the 3,000 page, 14-inch thick bill contains dubious provisions).  Congress dragged its feet on the appropriations process the entire year and the result is nine spending bills almost two months overdue.  

Congress shows more concern for pet projects than the big picture.  House Appropriations Committee Chairman Bill Young had the audacity to claim that the omnibus package was “lean and clean.”  Sens. Ben Nelson (D) and Chuck Hagel (R) defended their vote against the omnibus in terms of fiscal restraint, and in the next breath took credit for the earmarks headed to their home state of Nebraska.  To the politician, it’s a mad dash to the pork barrel and to heck with the record $413 billion deficit.  Most insulting of all to taxpayers, this sloppy, bloated, budget-busting, overdue piece of legislation guarantees a pay raise for Congress.  Because lawmakers are not allowed to offer amendments to the spending package, the annual “cost-of-living adjustment” is automatic instead of being subjected to a separate roll call vote.  A senator who currently makes $158,100 will get a raise of about $4,000 thanks to this glorious legislative “achievement.”        

For a juvenile evasion of fiscal responsibility, for neglecting to read the legislation it votes on, for plunging the budget process further into secrecy and chaos, for resorting to a catch-all omnibus bill to pass overdue legislation, and for raising its own pay in the process, CAGW names the U.S. Congress its Porker of the Month for November 2004.   

Citizens Against Government Waste is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, mismanagement and abuse in government.