Congressman Patrick McHenry offered three amendments to the House Democrats’ massive $463 billion spending bill; his amendments would increase funding to the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and worker retraining programs. Democrats refused to bring up the measures for a vote in what can be described as a move toward more partisan politics and away from open, honest and fair legislative governance.

The amendments’ spending increases would be wholly offset by common sense funding cuts in programs widely considered to be lower national priorities, including the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB).

“This is about honoring our fundamental priorities to support our veterans, stop illegal drugs from infiltrating our communities and retrain out workers for new, emerging industries,” Congressman McHenry said. “The Democrats were given a choice, and their decision is clear: They believe Big Bird deserves these funds more than our nation’s veterans, DEA agents and dislocated workers.”

Democratic leadership used their majority party procedural advantage to shoot down McHenry’s amendments in the House Rules Committee yesterday. They argued that crafting a federal spending bill – even of this magnitude – warranted no input except for that of two Democrats, Sen. Richard Byrd (D-WV) and Rep. David Obey (D-WI).

“Let’s put this in perspective: The Democrats spent $463 billion in two hours – that’s the same amount our nation has spent on the Global War on Terror since September 11th, 2001,” McHenry added. “They showed up, broke their own ‘no earmarks’ rule, wrote a check for nearly half-a-trillion dollars, and then skipped out of town for the rest of the week. How’s that for a ‘new direction’?”

Congressman McHenry’s amendments to the Democrats’ spending bill called for:

• A 1% across-the-board funding cut to all agencies except the Department of Veterans Affairs, and those funds will be allocated to the Veterans Health Administration
• Increased funding for the Drug Enforcement Administration by $20 million offset by decreased funding for NASA by $20 million
• Increased funding for dislocated worker employment and training activities by $20 million offset by decreased funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting by $20 million

Interestingly, the Democrats’ “No Earmark Spending Bill” will fund these, among other, earmarks:

• High Energy Petawatt Laser Development, University of Nevada-Reno, $2 million
• High Energy Petawatt Laser Development, University of Texas, $2 million
• UNLV Research Foundation, $2.5 million
• Consortium on Terrorism and Fire Science, University of Nevada-Reno, $3 million
• Operations and Security, Atomic Testing History Institute, $500 thousand
• Radio Analytical Services Laboratory, UNLV Research Foundation, $2 million
• Secure Wireless Technologies at Y-12, Tennessee, $2 million
• National Center for Biodefense at George Mason University, $1 million
• Science and Technical Programs, Wilberforce University, $2 million
• Science and Technical Programs, Central State University (OH), $2 million
• Science and Technical Programs, Vorhees College (SC), $1 million
• Science and Technical Programs, Florida Memorial University, $1 million

The Democrats passed H.J. Res 20 by a margin of 286 to 140; Mr. McHenry voted against the measure.