U.S. House Passes Spending Bill for the Rest of 2014

The U.S. House Wednesday afternoon approved a $1.1 trillion omnibus spending bill for the remainder of the 2014 fiscal year.  The vote was 359-67 with 64 Republicans voting against the bill, including Congressman Randy Neugebauer.

Congressman Neugebauer said concerning his vote, “At $1.1 trillion, this is a massive and complex spending bill.  While it included some positive elements, I don’t believe that a bill of this size and scope should be passed without open deliberation.  We have a responsibility to American taxpayers, and we owe it to them to consider each issue on its own, so they can be sure we’re making thoughtful decisions that will move our country forward.

“This bill actually increases spending from the sequester levels, and that’s a step backwards. I’m committed to reducing our country’s $17 trillion debt, and I believe the best way to do that is through a regular appropriations process with open debate, issue by issue.  I’m hopeful that moving forward, we can return to that process and begin to rein in our spending problem.”

The U.S. Senate will now consider their own version of the spending bill.