Jerry Moran: “tonight Congress considers a spending bill that is troubling. It is the largest appropriation bill that I have ever…”

“tonight Congress considers a spending bill that is troubling. It is the largest appropriation bill that I have ever voted on and I hope it will be the last time I am asked to vote on this amount of spending. At over $500 billion, it is nearly one-third the entire federal budget. This amount of money is beyond our grasp and the details of this legislation beyond our comprehension under today's time frame. There are many provisions in this bill that I support, particularly those for agriculture, home health care and education. This bill includes tax reductions for farmers, ranchers, and small business owners. In addition, this bill is critical to the operation of many government functions such as Social Security and our national defense. However, I am certain that there are numerous provisions in this bill which I do not support. Even worse, there are also items in this bill that I cannot be aware of until after I am expected to make a decision and cast my vote. For these and other reasons, I am very critical of the process which brings this appropriations measure to the floor tonight. I know I am not alone when I say I would appreciate the opportunity to vote on each of the individual provisions contained in this bill. Each provision should be debated on its own merit. Free and open debate is a principle upon which this country was founded and one that we as Members of Congress must work to protect.”