House Speaker John Boehner told members of Congress that if they didn’t pass a spending bill on Thursday they would have to stay until Christmas. So, in order to race home to their lavish holidays, the U.S. Congress gave the American people a lump of coal. The $1 trillion spending measure, otherwise known as “CROmnibus” passed 219-206. 162 Republicans and 57 Democrats voted in favor.
Arizona Representative Matt Salmon issued a statement upon the House passage. “Tonight, I was proud to stand on the side of our Constitution and vote against funding President Obama’s plan to continue flouting the laws of our nation by providing funds for his illegal and unconstitutional executive actions.
“What separates us from the monarchies or dictatorships of the past is the principle that the power of government must be separated to pit ambition against ambition. But the rule of law must prevail above all else for such a system to function. Yet, as the President now acts to ‘change law’ (something that neither his ‘existing authorities,’ nor our Constitution, grant him the ability to do), many in Congress chose to ignore their obligation to uphold and defend our Constitution.”
“I am disappointed by tonight’s outcome, but I will continue to do everything in my power to prevent the President’s illegal actions in this Congress and the next,” concluded Salmon.
Arizona Representative Paul Gosar was one of the few who didn’t join in on the holiday spending spree. in a statement release after the vote, Gosar released a statement in opposition. “Tonight, I strongly opposed and subsequently voted against the spending bill known as the “CROmnibus,” said Gosar. “The time has come where Congress must stand for something or fall for everything. The American people voted overwhelmingly for a change in how business is done in Washington D.C. and this “CROmnibus” does the exact opposite. They are fed up of the executive overreach coming from President Obama and his big government policies. They are fed up with Congress passing massive spending bills with little to no time to read what is actually in the bill.”
“By not taking a stand against this flawed process, we are damaging, for future generations, the institution that has been the heartbeat of our Republic. I will continue to stand against the president’s unconstitutional amnesty as well as the flawed process of lawmaking without proper oversight and accountability,” continued Gosar.
Representative Kyrsten Sinema voted for the bill claiming that it would bring more money to her Congressional District. “I voted for this bipartisan bill to prevent another harmful government shutdown and to provide Arizona families and businesses with stability,” said Sinema. “This bill supports programs important to middle-class families, job creators, and veterans in our state. Congress must now come together to find a long-term solution that strengthens the economy, creates much-need jobs, and tackles our nation’s fiscal challenges.”
Representative Ron Barber joined Sinema in voting yes, while representatives Shweikert, Franks, and Grijalva joined Salmon and Gosar in voting against the bill.