December 19, 2005

REID: THIS CONGRESS’S CORRUPTION HAS GONE TOO FAR

Washington, DC – Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid released the following statement on the Senate’s votes to proceed to the Department of Defense Conference Report and the Budget Spending Reconciliation Bill:

“The Republican Congress has put their special interest friends at the top of their agenda this week as they rush to finish business before the holiday break. While they work to ensure big oil, the drug industry and the banks get everything on their wish list, middle-class Americans are learning just what it means to have a corrupt Congress abusing their power. Together, America can do better.”

THE SPECIAL INTEREST GIVEAWAYS:

A Special Interest Giveaway to Banks Over the Needs of Students. The Republican spending bill provides the largest cut to student aid cut in years with $12.7 billion cut to student loan programs. The Republican spending bill scraps a bipartisan plan to increase Pell grants by $450 and abandons a commitment to ensuring that all students receive a much-needed increase in grant aid. They have also snubbed the Senate’s attempt to make federal loan programs more cost-effective by leveling the lender playing field. The bill cuts private lenders a sweetheart deal and delivers Republican tax breaks on the backs of students. [House Budget Committee Democrats, 12/19/05; Budget Reconciliation Bill, 12/19/05]

A Special Interest Giveaway to Big Oil Over the Rules of the Senate. The Republican leadership intends to break the rules of the United States Senate in order to push through their special interest gift to the oil companies by including Arctic Refuge drilling in the Department of Defense Appropriations Bill. [Department of Defense Appropriations Conference Report, 12/19/05]

A Special Interest Giveaway to the Drug Industry Over the Health of Americans. The Republican leadership tucked into the Department of Defense Appropriations Conference Report a provision to provide virtually unlimited liability protection to the drug industry while providing no compensation to victims of many defective drugs, vaccines, or medical devices. The provision is so broad that it can provide immunity to any product directed at an “epidemic” and even to any product that would be used to mitigate the side effects of a drug used for an epidemic. [Department of Defense Appropriations Conference Report, 12/19/05]

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