Huge Final Spending Bill Shows Need for Budget Reform, Says Brady

Washington, D.C. - - The last act of the 105th Congress was to pass a staggering $500 billion catch-all spending bill to finalize the 1999 federal budget. U.S. Representative Kevin Brady, who voted against the measure, believes it is a perfect example of why the budget process needs serious reform.

"In 21 of the last 24 years Congress has failed to meet budget deadlines, setting up a last minute confrontation with the White House that usually results in higher Washington spending and unnecessary pet projects, especially in election years," notes Brady. "Taxpayers lose under this process. We need to change it."

Brady believes Congress can avoid last-minute spending sprees by forcing legislators and the White House to agree early each year on spending and revenue limits. The later debate over appropriations bills must then focus on setting priorities and getting more bang for the federal buck.

The second needed reform is to enact a federal sunset law which abolishes obsolete federal agencies and eliminates duplication by setting an expiration date on every federal agency where they must regularly justify their existence or face elimination. Brady is author of a sunset measure which drew 81 co-sponsors, including House Budget Chairman John Kasich and the support of national taxpayer watchdog groups.

The 1999 Budget

"In the last two weeks of the session, this spending bill grew to consume one-third of the expected surplus. That money should have gone first to preserving Social Security and, with what's left over, providing tax relief to help families make ends meet," states Brady.

"In fairness, the bill includes some important gains: the first real increase in national defense in 14 years to combat the new threat of terrorism, emergency relief for Texas farmers, new safeguards against child access to pornography on the Internet and additional funding for research, home health care, and the war against drugs in our communities," says the first term congressman.

"I'm disappointed that those priorities weren't reflected in a lower, more accountable spending bill. The pork barrel projects don't belong, and there are important family issues that do," says Brady. "I'm concerned also that the $1.2 billion education funding is skewed against the fast-growth and rural school districts where it is sorely needed. I know we can do better."

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