“In good conscience, I could not vote for a bill that includes this level of reckless federal spending,” Franks said.  “Even though it attempts to comply with the 2003 Budget, which I also voted against, I continue to find it astonishing that this Republican-controlled Congress would pass an Omnibus that clearly violates any true commitment to fiscal discipline.”

“We are facing an impending perfect storm of financial crisis in the federal budget if we continue this mindless deficit spending.”

Real federal spending has grown by $353 billion since 1998, and in 2003, federal spending exceeded $20,000 per household for the first time since World War II.  Defense and the attacks of September 11, 2001 account for just forty-five percent of all new spending since 2001.

Also included in the Omnibus is an excessive number of egregious spending proposals such as: $6,000,000 for the Police Athletic League, $450,000 for Trout Genome Mapping, $90,000 for Olive Fruitfly Research, $1,500,00 for Operation Streetsweeper, and $270,000 for Potato Storage Research.

“The men and women of this country deserve fiscal responsibility and careful spending of their federal tax dollars.  They deserve the peace of mind that comes from knowing that we are doing all we can to prudently save and set a new standard of accountability.  The 2004 Omnibus is neither responsible, careful, nor prudent.”