Sen. Hyde-Smith urges Senate Dems to abandon bills
U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith criticized Democrats on the Senate Appropriations Committee for moving unilaterally on FY2022 appropriations bills that are blatantly partisan, shortchange national defense, and eliminate long-held provisions prevent the use of taxpayer dollars for abortions.
“The Democrats’ approach to completing the FY2022 appropriations process is a blatantly partisan departure from past practices and from what this nation needs. These bills are an affront to anyone serious about national defense, border security, the sanctity of life, and responsible government,” Hyde-Smith said.
On Monday, Senate Democrats posted nine FY2022 bills. The bills would spend nearly $10 billion over levels outlined in the Democrats’ own budget resolution. Hyde-Smith states that some of the most problematic issues in the new FY2022 partisan bills posted by Senate Democrats are:
- Misplaced spending priorities
- Neglecting border security and changing immigration policy
- Promoting and financing abortion at home and abroad
- Compromising the fight against terrorism
- Senate Democrats’ bills would use the appropriations process to advance radical environmental and climate policies.
- Partisan labor reforms
- Implement partisan “reforms” that will weaponize government agencies against Democrats’ political opponents.
“I sincerely hope my colleagues will come to their senses and negotiate these bills in a good-faith, bipartisan basis. This is how this committee has operated traditionally and the only way we will be able to produce measured bills that fund the programs that affect every single American,” Sen. Hyde-Smith said.
On Monday, Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chairman Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) released a statement regarding Senate Democrats’ posting of their Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22) appropriations bills. Shelby stated that “Chairman Leahy’s decision to unilaterally unveil partisan spending bills is a significant step in the wrong direction.”
Sen. Shelby said that it was a one-sided process that has resulted these bills remove important legacy riders on topics like terrorism, abortion, and immigration that for years have enjoyed broad support on both sides of the aisle.
“A successful appropriations process rests on trust and bipartisan cooperation like we had in recent years under the Shelby/Leahy framework. Regrettably, we’re a long way from that now. If Democrats want full year appropriations bills, they must abandon their go-it-alone strategy and come to the table to negotiate. We need a topline agreement that does not shortchange our nation’s defense and a willingness to set aside partisan politics. Only then will we be able to produce full year bills for the American people. Otherwise, we will oppose these partisan drafts. The clock is ticking,” stated Vice Chairman Shelby.
The Appropriations Committee has only considered 3 of the 12 annual bills that are needed to in order to fund federal programs in FY2022, which began Oct. 1.
The three considered measures were products of bipartisan cooperation.
Anne Summerhays
