TPA Joins Coalition Urging Open Rule for Defense Spending Bill

The Taxpayers Protection Alliance has always advocated legislative transparency and we were outraged with the actions of the House last week regarding the closed-rule Farm Bill being able to proceed and eventually pass. Apparently, Congress may be at it again, but this time on defense spending as the House of Representatives moves to possibly consider H.R. 2397, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2014. Last week, House Rules Committee Chairman Pete Sessions (R, Texas) indicated that the Committee “may …consider a rule that may limit the amendment process” for the bill while at the same time conceding “this is not the traditional process for this bill.” Ridiculous contradictions aside, this is as disconcerting as it is unproductive. TPA, in an effort led by Taxpayers for Commonsense, signed onto a coalition letter with the Council for Citizens Against Government Waste, Americans for Tax Reform, Cost of Government Center, National Taxpayers Union, Less Government, R Street Institute, and Downsize DC to ensure an open-rule process on Defense appropriations as “taxpayers deserve a free and open debate on all the spending bills and large pieces of legislation.”  While it’s critical for each appropriations bill to have as many amendments considered as possible, DoD is especially important considering the amount of earmarks that are funneled through.  In fact, in 2011, TPA found 89 earmarks worth $3 billion in the DoD appropriations bills (click here to read more).  This was after Congress agreed to an earmark moratorium.

Read the letter here:

July 16, 2013

Dear Speaker Boehner,

We understand that the House of Representatives may consider H.R. 2397, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2014 this week. In a July 11, 2013 letter, Rules Committee Chairman Sessions indicated that the Committee “may …consider a rule that may limit the amendment process” for the bill while at the same time conceding “this is not the traditional process for this bill.” You have indicated several times your preference for free and open debate on the floor. On behalf of our members and supporters we strongly urge you to maintain the traditional open rule and open amendment process for this important bill.

The Defense Appropriations Act is by far the largest of the spending bills, containing more than a half trillion dollars in spending. With the nation $16.7 trillion in debt, lawmakers should be afforded every opportunity to rein in wasteful or inappropriate spending whether it is contained in the Military Construction/Veterans Affairs, Energy and Water, and Homeland Security spending bills – all of which were governed by an open rule – or the Defense spending bill, which apparently may not be.

The nation’s taxpayers deserve a free and open debate on all the spending bills and large pieces of legislation. We strongly urge you to direct the Rules Committee to adopt an open rule for the Fiscal Year 2014 Department of Defense Appropriations Act.

Sincerely,

Taxpayers for Common Sense
Council for Citizens Against Government Waste
Americans for Tax Reform
Cost of Government Center
Taxpayers Protection Alliance
National Taxpayers Union
Less Government
R Street Institute