GOP Senators-Elect Strongly Oppose $1.2 Trillion Omnibus

GOP Senators-Elect Strongly Oppose $1.2 Trillion Omnibus - UPDATE: Omnibus Funds Abortion?

Guy Benson | December 16, 2010 6:01 PM

All 13 Republican Senators-elect, including the already sworn-in Sen. Mark Kirk of Illinois, have signed a letter to Senate leadership expressing strong disapproval of the $1.2 Trillion omnibus spending bill Harry Reid

appears determined to jam through the expiring lame duck session of Congress:

As Senators-Elect and a Senator, we stand united in opposition to the current effort in Congress to pass yet another unseen bill, loaded with wasteful spending.
In November, the American people clearly rejected Congressional action on bloated spending bills that are pushed through at the last minute that few, if any people, have read. Americans rejected massive spending bills, wasteful spending and business as usual in Washington.
We look forward to supporting a disciplined, transparent process that does not rush a 1,900 page Omnibus Appropriations bill through Congress without opportunity for debate or amendment. The misguided Omnibus Appropriations bill should be rejected in favor of a short-term Continuing Resolution to keep the federal government operational until the 112th Congress with its new mandate in place.

Full text of the missive can be accessed HERE. The bold portion of their letter bears striking similarities to the rhetoric of a fellow anti-earmark, last minute omnibus-averse advocate.

UPDATE - Yet another reason to oppose the omnibus bill emerges: It funds abortions in Washington, DC.

The FY11 omnibus undermines the prohibition on abortion funding in the District of Columbia, which Democrats overturned last year to fund abortions in Washington for the first time in many years. Because Congress approves all D.C. appropriates it can determine whether tax dollars can pay for abortions or not.

How does this nasty little pro-abortion gambit avoid Hyde Amendment restrictions? And how can any of the handful of Republicans who are still considering voting for this monstrosity justify their indecision at this point? Senators Bennett, Bond, Voinovich, and Collins: In addition to rejecting the clear will of the American people (not to mention President Obama, 2009 edition) on spending and transparency, this bill subsidizes Obamacare and abortion. If bringing home a little legacy bacon remains your paramount concern, good riddance.

UPDATE II: The nearly 2,000 page bill will be read aloud, in its entirety, in ~~Sen. Jim DeMint's office~~ on the Senate floor tonight. A Senate source says the fun will begin around 7pm ET and will air live on CSPAN. You know what would consume a lot less time? Reading Sen. Mitch McConnell's one page alternative to the omnibus bill.