Senator Hagel Shows Fiscal Responsibility

One of the major issues facing our nation is our national debt and the budget deficits that the federal government has been running for the last few years. One of Chuck Hagel's priorities is fiscal responsibility. He has shown once again that he acts on that and isn't all talk like some others are.

May 4th, 2006 - WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Senate voted to pass a $109 billion emergency spending bill today by a vote of 78 to 20. U.S. Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE) voted against the bill because it far exceeded President Bush’s original request for $92.2 billion in emergency spending to pay for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and rebuilding efforts in the Gulf Coast following Hurricane Katrina. The Senate bill now includes billions of dollars in unrequested funding for projects that do not require emergency funding. President Bush has threatened to veto any emergency spending legislation that exceeds his request.

“At some point, we’ve got to come forward with some courage and discipline to stop this massive hemorrhaging of federal spending. The President is right to say he will veto this bill , which spends over $14 billion more than he requested. I support him and will support his veto. Many of these projects are worthwhile but they should be funded through the normal appropriations process where there is accountability, not stuffed into an emergency bill. The American people deserve better than a U.S. Senate out of control with no fiscal discipline – further eroding the economic strength of this country, and continuing to pile up more and more debt for future generations,” Hagel said.

The House passed an emergency spending bill that cost $91.9 billion. Differences between the two bills will now be negotiated in a House-Senate Conference Committee.

The press release is from Senator Hagel's official site.
Technorati tags: Senator Chuck Hagel, Deficit Spending