WASHINGTON—The United State's Senate is working to pass a year-end, $1.7 trillion bill to fund the government. The measure released early Tuesday gives lawmakers a chance to stuff as many priorities as they can into what is likely to be the last major bill of the current Congress.
On Tuesday, Kansas junior Senator Roger Marshall, voted against advancing the 4,155-page spending plan. Jerry Moran voted with Democrats to advance the bill.
On social media, Marshall criticized many wasteful items included in the budget.
"In the next few months, Americans will be filing their taxes. Their hard-earned money should be going towards providing for their families during this record inflation caused by Joe Biden. Instead, this is what their elected officials will be spending it on: $47 billion deficit spending to fund the war in Ukraine and designates a “Ukrainian Independence Park” in Washington, D.C." For this reason, Marshall did not attend Ukraine President Zelensky's speech before a joint session of congress on Wednesday.
According to Marshall, the bill also includes "$575 million in a global health section allocated for “family planning/reproductive health, including in areas where population growth threatens biodiversity or endangered species.”
"$3.2 billion to continue processing and releasing illegal migrants at a faster pace and larger scale."
"An extra $212.1 million to the Dept. of Justice to further prosecutions Jan. 6 defendants and investigate and charge hundreds more."
"$410 million to "remain available" to reimburse Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Tunisia and Oman for "enhanced border security." At least $150 million of that must go to Jordan, according to the bill."
"$3.6 million for a Michelle Obama Trail in Georgia."
"$1.7 billion for ATF to enforce regulations that will take away Americans 2A rights."
"$800 million for grants for liberal cities like New York, Washington, D.C., and Chicago to receive illegal aliens."
"$750,000 for “LGBT and Gender Non-Conforming housing” in Albany, New York."
"$370 billion on Green New Deal style handouts to “green” industries."
Congress is racing to complete passage of the plan before a midnight Friday deadline or face the prospect of a partial government shutdown going into the Christmas holiday.