Oct. 27, 2014, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government president Nathan Mehrens reacted today to a news report that House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy hopes to pass a long-term funding bill for the federal government during the lame duck session.
“While we appreciate Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy’s intent to avoid a funding fight in early 2015, allowing the Democratic-controlled Senate to dictate government funding terms even after they have likely been defeated is a mistake.
“President Obama has made it clear that he will continue to push the boundaries of constitutional lawlessness through regulations and executive orders, and the power of the purse is one of the only powers Congress has to rein in a rogue Executive. Throwing away this power to stop the most misguided of Obama’s initiatives through the defunding process, cedes the only realistic tool this Congress has to check the President’s excesses, and would negate the mandate of the people to halt the lawlessness of this Administration.
“Over the past four years, major advances toward fiscal sanity have been made through the government funding process and giving away the only legislative tool that the President respects is to declare defeat before the new Congress is even seated.
“It is our hope that Majority Leader McCarthy will consider this trial balloon popped and instruct appropriators to work with the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and other authorizing committees to identify the most egregious excesses and put a plan in place to defund those activities. Americans for Limited Government has been active in identifying these abuses and dangerous policies, and will be continuing to inform Congress about them.
“Over the past four years, the only major advances toward fiscal sanity have been made through the government funding process and to throw away the only legislative tool that the President respects is to declare defeat before the new Congress is even seated.”
Interview Availability: Please contact Americans for Limited Government at (202)744-4427 or at media@limitgov.org to arrange an interview with ALG experts including ALG President Nathan Mehrens.
###