Yesterday, Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL) took to the floor of the Senate to announce that he will raise at least one budget point of order to the postal reform bill currently being considered. That’s because the Congressional Budget Office has stated that the bill will jack up the deficit by $34 billion, violating the Budget Control Act (BCA), which effectively caps the deficit. For the postal reform bill to be passed, a 60-vote majority will be needed.
The Democrats who oppose Sessions have some explaining to do. The postal bill spends more than is permitted under law, but the Democrats have spent the last several weeks clubbing Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) over the head by suggesting that his proposed budget spends less than the spending cap (which supposedly violates the BCA).
If the postal reform bill is not passed, says Sen. Susan Collins (R-MA), the postal service will fail; it seems that our Senators simply can’t find anywhere else to cut $34 billion over the next ten years, even if we’re slated to spend $44 trillion over that same period.
“Washington is in a state of financial chaos,” Sessions said. “We are in denial. The Government Services Administration is throwing lavish parties in Las Vegas. The Government Accountability Office has identified $400 billion–$400 billion–being spent every year on waste, inefficiency, and duplication. Far worse, the Senate’s Democrat majority has failed to produce a budget plan in calendar years 2010, 2011, and now 2012. In fact, this Sunday, April 29th, marks exactly three years since the last time the Senate passed a budget. A budget means responsible behavior. It forces Congress to make tough choices. And now, because the Senate can’t say no, and because the President refuses to exercise managerial discipline, we are set to spend another $34 billion in borrowed money. The White House warns that Republicans want to cut too much spending. But the American people know the truth. And the truth is that we have never spent more money, more recklessly and with less accountability, than we are spending today.”