The Senate will soon debate S. 1963, the Caregiver and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act. The bill contains many provisions regarding caregiver assistance, rural health care for veterans, construction of VA facilities, and several pilot programs. However, the issue that has garnered the most attention is the caregiver assistance. S.1963 creates a new VA program that provides caregivers of severely disabled wartime veterans the following new benefits. Typically the VA does not provide benefits for non-veterans, this program would be an exception to that. This bill proposes • monthly stipends for caregivers of disabled wartime veterans (CBO estimates around $2300 per month maximum) • health coverage for caregivers (if they do not have health insurance) • travel benefits for caregivers (lodging and per diem when taking veterans to VA hospitals) • training for caregivers to provide proper medical care and assistance However, S.1963 as written only provides benefits to veterans injured after September 11, 2001. Also, the bill does not identify a source of funding to pay for the increased spending. Dr. Coburn’s amendment opens the eligibility for this program to ALL veterans who are severely disabled from wartime service. He also directs that the Secretary of State should transfer funding out of the U.S. contribution to the United Nations to the VA to pay for this program. If Dr. Coburn’s amendment is not adopted, and S.1963 becomes law, it will exclude a large number of severely disabled wartime veterans from these benefits, maintain funding for the UN, and increase the already massive national debt.
Background on Coburn's U.N. funding offset amendment here.
Background on the Caregiver and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act here.
For additional information click here.
Facts about S. 1963 – Caregiver and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act
1. Dr. Coburn is NOT opposing the veterans caregiver bill, he merely wants to debate and amend the legislation to improve it.
2. The veteran caregiver bill currently discriminates against Vietnam veterans, Gulf War I veterans, and World War II veterans.
3. The veteran caregiver bill duplicates an existing program that has been providing benefits for decades to veterans to take care of themselves in their homes rather than nursing homes or hospitals.
4. Unlike the veteran caregiver bill, Dr. Coburn’s amendment increases benefits for all veterans, and reduces wasteful spending in order to guarantee that veterans today and in the future will receive the benefits they have earned, including these new caregiver benefits.
Click here for additional background.
Oklahoma veterans agree with Coburn on vet bill. Read more here
Background on the Senate's motion to recommit here.
Background on requiring all reports to be publicized here.
Coburn's suggested offsets for the additional spending in the bill.
Dr. Coburn's letter to the Republican leader.
Total Spending $67.49 billion This is a $7.59 billion (12.68%) increase over the FY 2009 regular order appropriations level of $59.89 billion. The FY 2009 level of $59.89 billion was a 15.5% increase over the FY 2008 level of $51.8 billion In FY 2009, programs under the CJS bill received $16.2 billion in Stimulus funding. Department of Commerce The bill provides $14.04 billion for the Department of Commerce. This is a 51.6% increase over the FY 2009 level of $9.26 billion. A large part of this increase is because the Census receives a $4.2 billion (134%) increase. If you assume level funding for the Census (obviously not the case, but just if you assume that), the rest of the Department of Commerce receives a 6.4% increase over FY 2009. In FY 2009, Commerce also received $7.9 billion in Stimulus/emergency funding. Given that in FY 2009, the Department received $9.26 billion as its annual appropriation, and this year that figure is $14.04 billion, they have rolled a large part of the “one-time” Stimulus funding into the baseline for the Department. Department of Justice The bill provides $27.38 billion for the Department of Justice, which is $1.29 billion more than the FY 2009 enacted level (an increase of 4.98 percent). In FY 2009, DoJ also received $4.2 billion in Stimulus/emergency funding. Science Funding (NSF, NSAS, Office of Science and Technology) Total science funding in the bill is $25.6 billion. This is up $1.33 billion (5.5%) over last year. In FY 2009, these science programs also received an additional $4 billion in Stimulus/supplemental funding. Earmarks 561 earmarks costing $370.8 million. Coburn Amendments:
Amendment: 2631: Prohibit the National Science Foundation from wasting federal research funding on political science projects.
The National Science Foundation (which receives a 6.6% increase in this bill over last year) spent $91.3 million over the last 10 years on political “science.” The purpose of this amendment is not to restrict science, but rather to better focus scarce basic research dollars on the important scientific endeavors that can expand our knowledge of true science and yield breakthroughs and discoveries that can improve the human condition. Click here for additional background.
Amendment 2632: To make all reports authorized in the bill public. This amendment would require all reports authorized by this appropriations bill to be publicized on the Website of the federal agency who is either conducting the report or being reviewed in the report. The only exceptions are for reports that contain classified or proprietary information. This amendment was unanimously adopted to the E&W, Interior, DOD, and T-HUD appropriations bills and was developed with the help of the appropriations committee. Click here for additional background.
Amendment 2667: Prioritizing excess construction funds for the Inspector General’s Office. While the House version of the CJS appropriations bill includes the same amount as last year for the renovation of the Herbert C. Hoover Department of Commerce building (HCHB) - $5 million – the Senate and the Administration have recommended a 350 percent increase ($17.5 million increase) in spending in a down economy for a variety of improvements, including historic restoration and new bicycle racks. This amendment would shift $5 million in funding from the Hoover Department of Commerce building to the Inspector General’s office of the Commerce to help them address what the Senate Committee referred to as “a culture within many agencies [funded in CJS] that exhibits a lack of accountability and oversight of grant funding.” Click here for additional background.
2010 Defense Appropriations Background:
HR 3326 appropriates $497.6 billion for Department of Defense (DoD) base budget and $128.2 billion for war costs. Combined, the bill appropriates $625.8 billion, which is $3.9 billion below the President’s request. This amount represents half of all discretionary government spending for FY2010 ($1.25 trillion). The bill includes 778 earmarks costing $2.65 billion.
Dr. Coburn's Amendments:
Amendment number 2569 — To restore $294 million in operations and maintenance funding to members of the Armed Forces to prepare for and conduct combat operations by accounting for the August 2009 Congressional Budget Office economic assumptions and reducing funding for low-priority research and development earmarks. Click here for additional background. Operation and Maintenance funds are directly related to military readiness because it provides funds for training troops for combat and for maintaining tanks, airplanes, ships, and related equipment such as the purchase of spare parts. O&M accounts also fund a wide range of activities such as civilian personnel management and payments, transportation expenses, health care, and child care. President Obama requested $156.4 billion in operation and maintenance funds for FY2010. However, the Senate Appropriations Committee cut $2.4 billion from this request for operations and maintenance in order to fund other priorities such as earmarks. $294 million of this cut was due to “revised economic assumptions” based on out-of-date inflation information. Operations and Maintenance appropriations are critically important as they are the only appropriated funds that unit commanders (battalion and squadron commanders, ship captains, etc) can spend easily. Other funds such as military personnel, procurement, research and development, and military construction accounts are spent at the highest levels of the military command leadership. This amendment restores $294 million to Operations and Maintenance funding accounts by striking the part of Section 8091 that the bill reduces operations and maintenance funding. The amendment is offset by reducing overall spending in Research, Development, Test and Evaluation funding by the same amount ($294 million). Research and development accounts are the source for the majority of earmarks in the Department of Defense appropriations bill. Out of 778 earmarks, 588 are research and development earmarks. Out of $2.6 billion in earmarks, $1.9 billion is for research and development earmarks. Amendment number 2566 — To restore over $165 million in operations and maintenance funding to members of the Armed Forces to prepare for and conduct combat operations by prohibiting funding of earmarks from operations and maintenance accounts. Click here for additional background. Operation and Maintenance funds are directly related to military readiness because it provides funds for training troops for combat and for maintaining tanks, airplanes, ships, and related equipment such as the purchase of spare parts. O&M accounts also fund a wide range of activities such as civilian personnel management and payments, transportation expenses, health care, and child care. President Obama requested $156.4 billion in operation and maintenance funds for FY2010. However, the Senate Appropriations Committee earmarked over $165 million from this request for operations and maintenance in order to fund earmarks. This amendment restores $165 million to Operations and Maintenance funding accounts by prohibiting spending on the congressionally directed spending items from Title II (Operation and Maintenance). Amendment 2563— To require all reports authorized in this bill be publicized and accessible to the public once completed This amendment requires that all reports required to be submitted by a federal agency within this act be posted on the public Website of that agency for all Americans and Members of Congress to see. The only exception to this is for reports that contain classified or proprietary information. This amendment was unanimously adopted as an amendment to the Energy and Water Appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2010 (H.R. 3183), the Transportation and Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2010 (H.R. 3288) and the Interior Appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2010 (H.R. 2996). By passing this amendment to the Department of Defense appropriations bill, Congress will increase transparency of the both the legislative and administrative process and give Americans the opportunity to be more involved in holding their elected officials accountable. Click here for additional background. Amendment 2565 — To require the National Guard and Reserve Component to submit their modernization priorities to the entire Congress, and seek input from Secretary of Defense Gates The Appropriations committee recommends an addition of $1.5 billion for procurement of National Guard and Reserve Equipment. This is $1.5 billion above the amounts already appropriated for procurement of weapon systems for all the military departments ($108 billion) included in the President's Budget request. The National Guard is not required by the bill to show their list of funding priorities to the Secretary of Defense. This amendment would require that the National Guard and Reserve component commanders submit their modernization priority lists to Secretary Gates for review. Secretary Gates will note the report with approval or disapproval before it is sent to the entire Congress. This will ensure increased transparency of the additional $1.5 billion provided to the National Guard in this legislation. Click here for additional background.
Interior Appropriations Executive Summary The Interior-Environment Appropriations bill spends $32.1 billion. This is a 16% increase over last year’s funding level of $27.5 billion. The Interior Appropriations bill includes 303 earmarks, costing taxpayers $244.5 million. This includes a $1 million earmark for the Belmont House, a well-known house on Capitol Hill frequented by congressional staff and members attending parties, lobbying events, and re-election fundraisers. Department of Interior Specifically, the Department of Interior will see a 9% increase in its annual budget over last year’s level. According to GAO, the Department of Interior now faces a maintenance backlog ranging from $13.2 billion and $19.4 billion. Despite record funding, the Park Service saw its maintenance backlog increase by $400 million during a nine month period last year. It more than doubled between 1999 and 2007.
Environmental Protection Agency This legislation provides the EPA with $10.15 billion, which is a 33% increase over the 2009 spending level. This increase of nearly a third in the agency’s budget is inappropriate at a time of negative inflation. The Forest Service will receive $5.23 billion (+$480.8 million or 10% increase over FY 2009). The Forest Service also received $1.15 billion from the 2009 Stimulus. Misplaced Priorities This bill continues to fund low-priority and special interest projects across the country, instead of focusing these funds toward the existing national parks and monuments in disrepair and in need of significant maintenance. Coburn Amendments to the Interior Appropriations Bill
Amendment #2463 Publicize all reports required by this bill, if such publicizing does not compromise national security interests. Click here for additional background. Amendment #2480 Eliminate National Park Service earmark for the Sewall Belmont House in Washington, DC and redirect funds to higher priority maintenance backlog needs. Click here for additional background. Amendment #2523 None of the funds in the Act may be used to impede, prohibit or restrict activities of the Secretary of Homeland Security to enforce border control laws on federal lands. Click here for additional background. National Border Patrol Council letter of support Eagle Forum letter of support
Amendment #2466 Prohibit the use of funds in this Act to block, delay, or halt the development of renewable energy on public lands, or the licensing and development of transmission lines on public lands necessary to deliver electricity derived from these renewable resources. Click here for additional background. Amendment #2483 Require all federal land acquisition funds in the bill (for one year) to be used instead to help meet growing maintenance needs on existing federal lands. Click here for additional background. Amendment #2468 Require a report on the total federal land owned by the federal government and the total cost to maintain this land. Click here for additional background. Amendment #2482 Require all private property owners to be notified of a National Heritage Areas designation near their property and allow them to decide whether or not to opt in. Click here for additional background. Read the letter of support from the Property Rights Alliance here.
Amendment #2511 Require that all grants and contracts (and earmarks) awarded under this act be competitively bid. Click here for additional background.
Background on the Transportation-Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Bill:
FY 2010 Senate Bill Total Spending: $67.78 billion This is a $12.4 billion (22.6%) increase over the FY 2009 regular order discretionary level of $55.3 billion. Department of Transportation Funding • FY 2010: $75.8 billion (this includes contract authority, which is not included in the total cost of the overall bill as noted above) • The FY 2010 bill provides a 12% increase for the total DoT annual budget over last year’s level. • In the last 12 years (since FY 1999), the DoT annual budget has increased 77% (42% adjusted for inflation). • In 2009, DoT received $67.2 billion during the appropriations season and another $51.12 billion in Stimulus and Supplemental funding. Department of Housing and Urban Development Funding FY 2010: $45.8 billion • The FY 2010 bill provides a 10% increase for the HUD budget over last year’s level. • In the last 12 years (since FY 1999), the HUD annual budget has increased 88% (51% adjusted for inflation). • In 2009, HUD received $41.5 billion during the appropriations season and another $13.6 billion in the Stimulus. Earmarks The THUD bill includes at least 580 earmarks costing $1.7 billion.
Coburn Amendments: Amendment 2371: Allow States to Opt Out of Being Required to Fund “Transportation Enhancements” The Surface Transportation Program is funded at over $6 billion annually and provides flexible funding to states for projects on any federal-aid highway, bridge, public road, or transit capital projects. By law, and regardless of their other pressing transportation needs, states must spend approximately 10 percent of their annual Surface Transportation Program funding on “transportation enhancement activities,” including bike paths, historic preservation, scenic beautification and museums. This amendment would allow states to opt-out of the federal requirement to set aside 10% of their surface transportation funding for these “enhancement activities” and shift the funding to more pressing critical transportation needs such as repairing roads and bridges. $3.7 billion in transportation funding was obligated to 10,857 “transportation enhancement” projects between fiscal years 2004-2008. In addition, $833.5 million was authorized for Transportation Enhancement projects in FY 2009. Meanwhile, according to the U.S. DOT, of the 601,396 bridges in the U.S. in 2008, 151,394 (25 percent) were deficient. This includes 71,461 (12 percent) “structurally deficient” bridges (those that show significant deterioration and have a reduced load-carrying capacity) and 79,933 (13 percent) “functionally obsolete” bridges (bridges that do not meet current design standards). These figures expose a nationwide problem of deficient bridges as well as the misplaced priorities of Congress, which has focused more on funding politicians’ pet projects than improving aging infrastructure.
Click here for additional background. Amendment 2373: Prohibit Road-Kill Reduction Projects This amendment would prohibit funds in the bill from being used for road-kill reduction projects. Over the last five years up to $84 million has been spent on 213 projects to work on the “reduction of vehicle-caused wildlife mortality” or the “maintenance of habitat connectivity,” among other activities. These projects are part of what a General Accountability Office (GAO) audit determined were transportation projects for “purposes other than construction and maintenance of highways and bridges.” In addition to the $84 million in the road-kill reduction category of spending from fiscal years 2004-2008, another $3.4 million from the 2009 federal stimulus bill is being spent by the Florida Department of Transportation for wildlife crossings, otherwise known as “eco-passages.”
Click here for additional background. Amendment 2372: Prohibit Transportation Museum Funding This amendment would prohibit funds in the bill from being used to build or support museums. $28 million in federal transportation funds were set aside for 55 transportation museums from fiscal years 2004-2008. These projects are among what a General Accountability Office (GAO) audit determined were $78 billion dollars worth of transportation projects for “purposes other than construction and maintenance of highways and bridges.” As the country faces an $11.6 trillion debt, federal transportation funding should prioritized for critical infrastructure needs, not for transportation museums.
Click here for additional background. Amendment 2370: Prohibit Low-Priority Spending Until DoT Secretary Certifies Highway Trust Fund is not Going Bankrupt This amendment would prohibit transportation funding for road-kill reduction programs, transportation museums, scenic beautification projects, or bike and pedestrian paths, until the Secretary of Transportation certifies that the Highway Trust Fund is no longer in danger of being bankrupted. This will allow these funds to be used for critical surface transportation needs. Over the last five years almost $3 billion has been funded through the federal transportation authorization and appropriations bills in areas that may not address the nation’s crumbling transportation infrastructure. These include • $84 million has been spent on 213 projects to work on the “reduction of vehicle-caused wildlife mortality” or the “maintenance of habitat connectivity,” among other activities. • $3.4 million from the 2009 federal stimulus bill is being spent by the Florida Department of Transportation for wildlife crossings, otherwise known as “eco-passages.” • $28 million for 55 transportation museums from fiscal years 2004-2008. • $850 million for 2,772 landscaping and other scenic beautification projects. • $2 billion for 5,547 pedestrian and bicycle facility projects. • $2 million in federal stimulus funds for a local Pennsylvania contractor to pave bicycle lanes along roadways that are so bad a local official suggested the cars might drive on the bike lane instead. According to the U.S. DOT, of the 601,396 bridges in the U.S. in 2008, 151,394 (25 percent) were deficient. This includes 71,461 (12 percent) “structurally deficient” bridges (those that show significant deterioration and have a reduced load-carrying capacity) and 79,933 (13 percent) “functionally obsolete” bridges (bridges that do not meet current design standards). DOT also estimated it would cost $65 billion to repair all bridges adequately.
Click here for additional background. Amendment 2374: Require HUD to Report to Congress on Homes Owned and the Cost to Taxpayers This amendment would require HUD to report to Congress the following information: • The number of residential homes it owns and these numbers for the last five years • The last five years worth of financial losses or gains from owning, maintaining, and selling these homes • The cost to taxpayers for acquiring each home and the amount of money lost of each home sale for the last five years, also detailing why each home was purchased • A list of the top 10 cities with the most HUD-owned homes • The homelessness rates for the top 10 cities with most HUD-owned homes • The number of new public housing construction projects in the last five years in the top 10 cities with the most HUD-owned homes • A list of recommendations for potential ways to remedy this situation According to a May 15, 2009 USA Today article, the government now owns more than 50,000 homes, and “federal records show it’s struggling to unload the houses and facing billions of dollars in losses.” The article states that “Among the areas where the government owns the most homes is the west side of Detroit, where HUD sometimes has four houses or more for sale on the same block.” The article details that “Since 2007, HUD has acquired at least 110,000 forclosed homes,” spending about $12.2 billion to reimburse lenders after the owners defaulted on government-backed loans. So far, HUD has been able to recovery only about $5.5 billion by reselling them. It has about 38,000 homes still for sale.”
Click here for additional background. Amendment 2377: Make Available to the Public all Reports Required in the Bill This amendment would require all reports authorized by this appropriations bill to be publicized on the website of the federal agency that is either conducting the report or being reviewed in the report. The only exceptions are for reports that contain classified or proprietary information. This amendment was unanimously adopted to the E&W appropriations bill and was developed with the help of the appropriations committee. Click here for additional background.
Amendment 2304 to Donate Vehicles Traded In To Poor Families in the Community and to Charities
The “Cash for Clunkers” program (Clunkers) currently requires all vehicle trade-ins to be destroyed and even prohibits the selling of certain car parts like the engine. This is even true for cars that are in great condition and new cars that have low gas mileage. In fact, in a dealership in El Reno, OK, one truck that had to be destroyed had an almost new engine with less than 10,000 miles. This requirement unfairly hurts the poor and many of the charities that fill an important need in serving the poor. This amendment would ensure such needless destruction is not required anymore at the expense of the poor and charities and that, instead, traded-in vehicles may be donated to charities and poor families within the community and continue to serve a useful purpose in our society.
Click here for additional background information.
Read the Lutheran Services in America letter of support here.
Click here to view the amendment text.
The Agriculture appropriations bill provides significant spending increases at a time when our country faces grave fiscal challenges. Total Spending FY 2010- $124.2 billion (14.5% increase over FY 2009) FY 2009- $108.1 billion (20.8% increase over FY 2008) Stimulus- $26.5 billion FY 2008- $90.7 billion Discretionary Spending FY 2010- $23.3 billion This represents a 12.7% increase over FY 2009 discretionary spending. Mandatory Spending FY 2010- $100.8 billion This is a 15% increase over FY 2009 mandatory spending.
Amendment 2243-Stimulus Double Dipping Programs in this bill received more than $26 billion in the 2009 Stimulus legislation. Many of these programs are now receiving another full annual appropriation for FY 2010 only a few months later. In some cases, certain programs and accounts will have received the equivalent of three years' appropriation when totaling funds from FY 2009 appropriations, the Stimulus, and now the FY 2010 appropriation. Amendment 2244-Digital Television Funding Elimination The transition from analog to digital broadcasting is largely complete and entirely complete among high-powered broadcasters. Transition assistance is currently being addressed by at least three existing federal initiatives. The President, in his FY 2010 Budget, proposed to eliminate USDA's Rural Development Public Television Grant Program, because it is duplicative of these existing efforts. This amendment would save taxpayers $4.9 million and streamline federal initiatives to address the digital transition. Amendment 2245-Specialty Cheese The bill provides $3 million to support development and expansion of the specialty cheese industry, of which $2 million is directed to Wisconsin and $1 million to Vermont. Specialty and Artisanal cheese has become popular in the United States. This growing popularity reflects the quality of cheese production and underscores the fact that government intervention or interference is not needed for the success of this growing industry. This amendment would eliminate funding for specialty cheese and save taxpayers $5 million. Amendment 2246-USDA Conference Spending In 2001, USDA spent $6 million on conferences. Within five years, this amount more than tripled to $19 million in 2006. This amendment would cap the amount spent on conferences by USDA at $12 million next year, which is twice the amount spent in 2001 but million less than what the Department has been spending every year since. This amendment will ensure USDA has more than enough funds to pay for gatherings and meetings while ensuring that more federal resources are available for our nation's agriculture priorities. Amendment 2247/2248-Competitive Bidding The federal government awards hundreds of billions of dollars annually in contracts and grants. It is becoming a common practice for agencies and Congress to bypass the federal process for competitively awarding contracts and grants. During his campaign for President, Barack Obama pledged to change the way Washington spends taxpayers' money, in part, by eliminating no bid contracts. This amendment would require that all grants and contracts (and earmarks-#2247) awarded under this act be competitively bid. This amendment would ensure that members of Congress and the federal government are good stewards of taxpayer dollars and support the President in his efforts to eliminate no-bid contracts.
Read Dr. Coburn's oversight report on the USDA's Wasteful Conference Spending here.
FY 2010 Energy and Water Appropriations Total Spending: $34.27 billion This is a 3.1% increase over the FY 2009 regular appropriations spending level. In FY 2009, the Energy and Water appropriations bill provided a 7.7% increase over the FY 2008 level. The bill funds 770 earmarks, costing $976.5 million. Dr. Coburn filed the following amendment to the legislation: Reducing DOE Energy Usage Amendment 1879 – To reduce the appropriation for Departmental Administration of the Department of Energy so that the Department can set an example for all Americans by reducing unnecessary energy usage The Department of Energy is designated as the lead federal agency for energy efficiency efforts. In this role, the Department coordinates energy efficiency efforts for all federal agencies, and also it is also the primary outlet for federal energy efficiency programs and enforcement for the private sector. Despite this central role, the Department is the largest consumer of energy among all federal civilian agencies (excluding the postal service) and unlike most other agencies, has actually increased its energy usage in the most recent reporting period. The Department of Energy’s Inspector General found at least $13.8 million in wasted energy costs due to inefficient technology and poor temperature controls at the agency. This amendment would reduce administrative funds at the Department of Energy by $13.8 million in order to encourage them to lead by example in reducing their energy usage.
Competitive Bidding Amendment 1884 – Requires all contracts, grants awarded under this act be competitively bid. This amendment would require all contracts and grants awarded under this act to be competitively bid.
Presidential Terminations Amendment 1883 – To support the President’s effort to reduce unnecessary government spending by eliminating funding for waste water environmental infrastructure projects the Administration has proposed for termination. President Obama has called for eliminating “Environmental Infrastructure Construction” funded by the Corps (sewage and wastewater projects). According to his calculations, eliminating these projects would result in a savings of $180 million. This amendment would support the President’s budget and his efforts to reign in government spending by eliminating funding in the bill for environmental infrastructure projects and transferring the savings to the account for Flood Control and Coastal Emergencies, which provides funds for preparedness activities for natural and other disasters, response, and emergency flood fighting and rescue operations, hurricane response, and emergency shore protection work. Amendment 1881 - To support the President’s effort to reduce unnecessary government spending by eliminating the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center Refurbishment project, which the Administration has proposed for termination. In his FY 2010 budget, the President proposed terminating the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center Refurbishment (LANSCE) project in New Mexico stating its mission has largely been completed, and it no longer plays a critical role in scientific research. This amendment would support the President’s budget and his efforts to reduce federal spending and eliminate the funding for this project, which the Administration has argued “is mostly used by organizations outside of NNSA who do not pay the full costs of its operations, [and as such] Operational costs must be subsidized by the National Nuclear Security Agency (NNSA).” Amendment 1882 – To support the President’s effort to reduce unnecessary government spending by eliminating funding for low-performing Corps construction projects. President Obama has called for eliminating “Low Performing Corps Construction Projects.” According to the Administration, eliminating these projects would result in a savings of $244 million. This amendment would support the President’s budget by reducing the Corps general construction account by $244 million in order to ensure that low-performing Corps construction projects are not funded this year. Amendment 1880 — To support the President’s effort to reduce unnecessary government spending by reducing funding the Nuclear Power 2010 demonstration program, which the Administration has proposed for termination. In his FY 200 budget, the President proposed terminating the Nuclear Power 2010 demonstration program, stating that the “program has largely accomplished its intended purpose to help industry overcome regulatory uncertainties,” and citing severe cost overruns. The President’s budget provides the program with $20 million “as a final contribution to this cost-shared effort with industry, which was announced in 2002.” However, this bill funds the program at $120 million, a $100 million increase over the President’s request. This amendment would limit funding the Energy and Water appropriations bill to for the Nuclear Power 2010 demonstration program to $20 million, as requested by the President.
Public Disclosure of Reports Required in the Appropriations Bill Amendment 1878 — To require the public disclosure of reports required in the appropriations bill This amendment would require that any report required to be submitted by a federal agency or department to the Committee on Appropriations of either the Senate or the House of Representatives in an appropriations act be posted on the public website of that committee upon receipt by the committee.
Dr. Coburn recently sent a letter to Peter Orszag that asks the administration to explain the specific performance measurements and outcomes that the administration has established for each American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) program being implemented. Click here to view the entire letter.
