Water Resources Development Act
This week the Senate overturned a presidential veto of the Water Resources Development Act (HR 1495), which authorizes more than $127 million for critical water infrastructure projects in Georgia. I joined many of my Senate colleagues in voting to override the veto. We’re currently experiencing a historic drought in Georgia and the funding authorized in this bill will go a long way toward helping numerous communities across our state plan for the future and will help our communities invest in many much-needed infrastructure upgrades.
To read about the Georgia projects included in the Water Resources Development Act, click here.
Do you mean this bill?
President Bush just added another resident to Vetoland, this resident being the water projects bill that got saturated with pork-barrel projects in conference. Despite having enough votes to override his veto, Bush sent the bill back as a protest against its escalating earmarks . . . .
The reason for the veto seems rather obvious. The House approved a $14 billion waterworks bill, and the Senate approved a $15 billion companion bill. Rather than split the difference and approve a $14.5 billion bill, or even go with the Senate's $15 billion, the conference committee reported out a $23 billion bill that proves that when pork multiplies, it's because taxpayers are getting screwed.
Seriously -- how did an extra $8 billion get added to the bill in conference? That's an increase of over 50% from the Senate bill, in conference. The larger embarrassment is that our elected representatives didn't see this greedy manipulation of the conference process as any big deal and overwhelmingly supported the results.
That's what pork does to corrupt the legislative process -- it buys votes. It's a bribery system that helps cover up another bribery system. One porcine paw washes the other, and the resulting appropriations grow on grotesque scales almost overnight.
Now in fairness to our 2 Senators from GA I don't really see a litany of pork in the portion of the bill with earmarks for GA. Just about everything in it for GA is for municipal water, stormwater and wastewater infrastructure. I do question this item though. $10 million for Savannah Riverfront development. That sounds like money for the city to rebuild the business district and not so much for work on the actual river way itself.
President Bush did veto this bill and just like Ed Morrissey over at Captain's Quarters says it is vote buying. There is such a lack of moral courage among our congress critters when it comes to such things as to have now reached the point of being embarrassing. They are so blatant about it now. Some more then others such as Clinton and Murtha. When these very same congress critters get into campaign mode are there any doubts they will scream about the federal deficit as a talking point. Our federal deficit is the lack of personal courage of those elected to represent us.
Next up is the Food and Energy Security Act of 2007 also known as the Farm Bill.
And just so you know my representative David Scott (D-GA) hasn't been sitting on his hands either. Why he brags about getting funding for Clayton State University. Well here it is in his own words.
Washington, Nov 6 - Today Congressman David Scott (D-GA) announced the inclusion of $325,000 for Clayton State University’s development of an archival graduate program in a bill that provides Fiscal Year 2008 funding for the Federal Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education. The House of Representatives is expected to pass the spending bill today which also includes funding for Veterans and Military projects.
Here is a news flash to Mr Scott. Why are we providing federal dollars to a local university to "...to create a Master of Arts in Archive degree program at Clayton State University."? What the heck is the tuition money going for?
But it doesn't end there. Look what else he included.
Today Congressman David Scott announced that federal funds totaling $459,700 have been awarded to important projects in Fulton County. These awards include $334,700 for Grady Health system to upgrade electronic medical records and $125,000 to assist the county’s Department of Mental Health with creating a jail diversion program. These projects were included in the bill funding the U.S. Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services and Education for Fiscal Year 2008, which was passed by the House of Representatives today.
Grady Hospital is a financially strapped hospital in Atlanta. Most of the mess is because of mismanagement and internal corruption. In the contacts I have had with the folks who work at Grady, not the doctors or nurses but rather the administrative staff, upgrading to electronic records ain't gonna help. I haven't met any of them who were smarter then a 5th grader, which is also a big part of Grady's problems, but that is a topic for a different time.
Folks fiscal responsibility starts at home. It means everyone of us need to hold congress accountable for the deficit not the President. The President vetoes, congress overrides so the blame lies squarely on their shoulders.
Folks you need to get on your Representatives and Senators mailing lists. You must contact them. Lobbyists have the money but you have the vote. Let them know you are informed. Let them know when you agree or disagree. I wouldn't have gotten this information without being on their email lists or visiting their web sites. Get involved or at least make them think you are.
No comments:
Post a Comment