Mike Levin: “it is difficult to vote against this omnibus appropriations bill because it provides funding for many programs that I…”

“it is difficult to vote against this omnibus appropriations bill because it provides funding for many programs that I support. In fact, it contains many provisions that I worked to have included. However, we are confronted with this legislation containing funding for fiscal year 2005 which under normal circumstances would have been contained in nine separate appropriations bills and which should have been done prior to the beginning of this fiscal year last October 1. Once again, for the third consecutive year, and all too frequently in recent years, the Senate finds itself considering a massive appropriations bill, in this case totaling about 3,000 pages and spending nearly $400 billion, and containing important legislation which doesn't belong in an appropriations bill at all. We have had only a matter of hours to read and consider this bill. This is a process which reflects poorly on the Congress both because it represents a failure to get the Nation's work done on time, and because of its huge size and the inclusion of matters which were not previously considered in the Senate hinders the kind of careful consideration and debate which wise decisionmaking demands. It is certain that Senators will only learn after the fact details about many provisions which have been added.”