Dr. Coburn Says Taxpayers Deserve a Full and Open Debate on Reid’s Omnibus Spending Bill
July 22, 2008
(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – U.S. Senator Tom Coburn, M.D. (R-OK) released the following statement today after using a rarely-used procedural tool to force the Senate to hold a full and open debate on a package of spending bills Majority Leader Harry Reid’s (D-NV) wants the Senate to pass in secret with no debate, no amendment and no recorded vote.
“I’m disappointed Majority Leader Reid’s latest spending bill will do nothing to lower gas prices or reduce our dependence on foreign oil. I’m also disappointed the Majority Leader continues to defend the reckless congressional culture that says Congress doesn’t have to set priorities and live within its means like every American family,” Dr. Coburn said.
“Our economy is on an unsustainable course. Congress’ refusal to come to grips with this reality is undermining international confidence in the dollar and contributing to rising prices at the pump. I make no apologies for trying to force this body to pay for new programs with spending offsets from lower priority programs. This government wastes nearly $300 billion every year through waste, fraud and duplication. The suggestion that Senators can’t identify any spending offsets in our budget is laughable to ordinary Americans,” Dr. Coburn said.
“I hope the Majority Leader will agree to restore the Senate tradition of open debate. Until he does, I will use every procedural tool at my disposal to force this body to conduct open debate and live within its means. While I regret that Senator Reid believes I am standing against a majority of my colleagues, he should be more concerned that 91 percent of all Americans are standing against the Senate,” Dr. Coburn said, referring to Congress’ all-time-low nine percent approval rating.
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Sen. Coburn Objects to Introduction of Reid Omnibus Bill
What: Sen. Coburn today did not provide unanimous consent to the introduction of Sen. Reid’s omnibus legislation in protest of the Majority Leader’s decision to both prevent full and open debate on this new omnibus package, as well as his decision to bring lower-priority legislation before the Senate.
Procedural Explanation
Under Senate rules, once a senator introduces a bill there is a discreet set of procedures the bill must follow before it passes. Within these procedures, any senator has the right to force more careful consideration of the contents of a bill. One little-known and rarely used provision allows a senator to object to the introduction of a bill.
The rule governing these procedures is Rule XIV (rule 14). According to this rule, all introduced bills are required to receive several “readings” before final passage, and each of these readings marks a milestone through the process. Every bill must receive a total of three readings before it can be passed through the Senate, and current Senate rules allow a bill to be considered as “read” by a simple reading of the bill’s title.
Once a bill is introduced, it is customarily given its first and second readings, after which it is referred to a committee for further consideration. Upon passage of the bill by the committee to which it was referred, the full Senate is then given the option to take up the bill for debate. Just prior to a vote of the full Senate on final passage, the bill is given a third reading.
Before any of these procedures begin, a senator must introduce a bill. Introduction of a bill can happen by one of two ways: First, a senator may make a live request on the Senate floor; or Second, a senator may simply hand a signed copy of a proposed bill to the clerk and the bill is then considered introduced.
Introduction of the bill may be interrupted if an objection is made by any senator, though, according to Rule 14, paragraph one. If the introduction of a bill is objected to, then the introduction of the bill is postponed for one “legislative day.” Legislative days are not the same as calendar days, but are rather the periods of time between adjournments. At the end of each calendar day, the Senate is either adjourned or recessed – each is done for a variety of procedural reasons. This means that, once a bill is objected to, the Senate must adjourn and then reconvene, after which a new legislative day is begun and the bill is introduced.
Purpose of Objection
Sen. Coburn has objected to the introduction of Sen. Reid’s omnibus spending authorization bill to protest the Majority Leader’s unprecedented attempt to force the Senate to rubber stamp a bill that is enormous in size and scope — it reaches across the full spectrum of the federal government and contains as many as 40 or 50 smaller bills that could cost tens of billions of dollars. Yet, the bill has not been scored by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office to estimate its price tag. The Majority Leader’s tactics on this bill represent one of the most significant assaults on the rights of the minority part in the history of the U.S. Senate. Senator Coburn believes that the bill of this size should not only be paid for, considered under the usual Senate rules that allowing for amendments and debate. Furthermore, this bill reflects the questionable priorities of Washington politicians rather than the American people. Senator Coburn believes that before the Senate considers taking action on pet projects – or recesses for summer vacation - it has an obligation to first address the skyrocketing cost of gas.
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