TPA Statement on House Passage of Continuing Resolution

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yestrday, the Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) released a statement after the House of Representatives passed a Continuing Resolution (CR) to keep the government funded through late April of 2017. The bill, which maintains the fiscal year 2017 spending cap of $1.07 trillion, now heads to the Senate where it is expected to pass. Lawmakers are slated to leave town this weekend for the remainder of the year ensuring no more action in what was, thankfully, a brief Lame Duck session. 

TPA President David Williams reacted to the passage of the CR saying, “It’s refreshing to see that Congress actually heard some of what the voters were saying and decided not to pass a trillion dollar Omnibus once again at the end of the year.” Williams also said that the CR provides enough time for Congress to begin work on a number of important issues noting that, “Tax reform, Obamacare repeal, and getting back to regular order are all things that Washington must work towards when the new Administration is sworn in and the newly elected Congress is seated. Taxpayers are tired of inaction from lawmakers and now there is a chance to make real progress in several areas.”

Williams did however criticize Congress for their continual use of the Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) Account as part of funding in the CR saying, “The billions of dollars for the OCO merely perpetuates a slush fund that has been used to bypass accurate budgeting at the Pentagon. It is disappointing that this kind of gamesmanship is still being used to avoid base-budgeting limits at the Defense Department.  Hopefully there will be changes starting next year.”

Williams finished by giving both warning and praise to the leadership in Washington saying, “TPA will be watching very carefully to make sure that the ban on earmarks remains in place and that Trump and the new Congress pursue an agenda that strengthens the economy and is beneficial to taxpayers and all citizens.”