Slams earmarks for Democrat pet projects in 4,100 page bill
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho) released the following statement after voting against the $1.7 trillion government spending bill:
“At a time when Idahoans are facing the highest prices in decades, it is insulting for Congress to spend another $1.7 trillion that will add fuel to the inflationary fire. The 4,155 pages of this monstrous bill include billions for liberal priorities and pet project giveaways.
"We have got to rein in government spending, abandon earmarks, and treat taxpayer dollars with respect. This omnibus dramatically missed that mark.”
The $1.7 trillion FY 2023 Omnibus bill “ fulfills 98 percent of Democratic Member requests” and includes $5 billion for over 3,200 liberal pet projects including:
- Over $800 million for housing for illegal immigrants;
- $2 million for a wax museum in Baltimore;
- $750,000 to provide “workforce development programs and supportive services for Transgender and Gender nonconforming and Intersex (TGI) immigrant women in Los Angeles”;
- $3.6 million for a Michelle Obama Trail in Georgia; and
- Preventative language to ensure no funding for Customs and Border Protection is used to improve border security.
Background: Senator Risch has long opposed earmarks and believed the government’s exhaustive spending is unsustainable.
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