(2010-11-06) Federal Budget Omnibus Mess

*For 16 consecutive years, however, the House and Senate under both Republican and Democratic leadership have failed to pass all spending bills on time. This year, Congress hasn't passed a single appropriations bill.

In fact, the representatives and senators haven't even passed a formal budget resolution, the blueprint that is normally the first step in the budget process in the spring.

Why? Because a budget resolution requires a five-year projection of revenues and spending. And that projection would show the American people something House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid don't want them to see — a government hemorrhaging red ink. (Budget Deficit)

Instead, just before they got out the door to go home and campaign, members of Congress passed a Continuing Resolution — a $219 billion temporary measure to keep the government operating at the same level as last fiscal year. The next step will be to pass an Omnibus spending bill before the resolution runs out on Dec. 3.*

Nov18 update: Senate Republican leader MitchMc Connell (Ky.) announced Thursday that he will oppose an Omnibus spending bill to fund the government next year. Mc Connell’s decision means Democrats may have to settle for passing a stopgap spending measure, known as a Continuing Resolution, that keeps spending frozen at current levels... Republicans also adopted a resolution implementing a GOP conference-wide moratorium on appropriations EarMark-s.

Nov23: “We remain hopeful that a deal can be reached on an omnibus, which is the option Chairman Inouye prefers,” one Senate appropriations aide said, referring to Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii)... The Senate appropriations aide said there are no plans to formulate an omnibus without earmarks to ease its passage through the Senate.

Nov29: Republicans considered most likely to defect (from Mc Connell's block) are senior members of the Appropriations Committee who have aggressively pursued federal funding for their constituents. Several of those lawmakers plan to retire at the end of this year, and the omnibus represents a last chance to add the final touches to their legacies.