-Caveat Lector- <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/"> </A> -Cui Bono?- Congress blows $129 billion Funds 137 unauthorized federal programs in FY 2000 <http://www.worldnetdaily.com/bluesky_exnews/20000124_xex_congress_blo.shtml > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- By Mike Catanzaro When Republicans took control of Congress in 1994, one of the pillars of their reform agenda was vigorous oversight of federal programs. But after nearly five years of a GOP majority, Congress has allowed some of the most liberal federal programs to go unauthorized for years, while continuing to feed them with taxpayer dollars. That was the troubling conclusion highlighted in a recent report by the Congressional Budget Office, which shows that Congress provided nearly $101 billion in fiscal year 1999 for 198 government programs that either have never been authorized or whose authorization expired. In the following year, Congress provided $129 billion for 137 unauthorized programs. CBO's report also found that 49 program authorizations, totaling $293 billion, will expire before the end of FY 2000. Supposedly, there can be no money appropriated for unauthorized purposes. "This is simply an outrage," said Rep. Tom Tancredo, R.-Colo., who, along with members of the Conservative Action Team and the Citizen Legislators' Caucus, is trying to make Congress do its job. Some of the more egregious examples include the Legal Services Corp., which underwrites a hard left-wing legal agenda. The LSC, to the chagrin of many conservatives, was last authorized in 1979, but got $305 million this year. Neither the National Endowment for the Humanities, nor the National Endowment for the Arts -- which continues to fund pornography -- have been authorized since 1993. But this year they received a total of $213 million. Tancredo said that turning a blind eye to unauthorized appropriations contributes to the "loss of congressional oversight and responsibility." A fresh example of that occurred last year, when it was revealed that the Corporation for Public Broadcasting had exchanged donor lists with the Democratic Party. No matter -- Congress forked over $360 million, while giving it a free ride for the last seven years. The Justice Department, which thwarted an independent investigation of the Chinese money laundering scandal in 1996, has escaped congressional authorizers during the entire reign of the Clinton administration. But Congress nonetheless gave Janet Reno $14 billion this year. Budget rules prohibit spending on unauthorized appropriations. But for years, members have supported floor rules that waive points of order against such spending. To put a stop to that, Tancredo says this year he will lead the charge to oppose any rules that allow for unauthorized programs. In addition, other conservatives, including Rep. Tom Coburn, R.-Okla., Rep. Mark Sanford, R.-S.C., Rep. Pat Toomey, R.-Pa., and Rep. Pete Hoekstra, R.-Mich., will pitch in with "Dear Colleague" letters and floor speeches, as well as raise the issue at leadership meetings. If "all else fails," they say, these conservatives will encourage appropriators to at least limit funding for unauthorized programs to only 90% of their current levels. But Tancredo conceded that conservatives are waging "a long-term battle." Over the past few weeks, their plan was informally reviewed by Speaker Dennis Hastert, R.-Ill., and Majority Whip Tom DeLay, R.-Texas. While they offered support in principle, both Hastert and DeLay said they had doubts about its implementation. But Tancredo believes he has a silver bullet in his arsenal. He and his conservative allies will make the case that avoiding dipping into the Social Security surplus, a major Republican pledge, will be very difficult because of the $20 billion in spending that, in order not to run a deficit, the GOP Congress last year pushed over into fiscal year 2001. With the White House and the congressional leadership having abandoned all support for keeping the 1997 balanced budget caps in place, the pressure for higher spending will be great and Social Security will serve as the new spending threshold. "If we can cut back on some of these programs, then we can pay for last year's forward funding and not dip into Social Security," Tancredo said. Though appropriators have much of the power on Capitol Hill, a reinvigoration of congressional oversight can bring some balance back to Congress, and maybe even a smaller federal Leviathan. "Getting attention to this problem is extremely important," Tancredo said, "because this is a means of making a more conservative, limited government." <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are not allowed. Substance—not soap-boxing! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. 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