Alabama’s U.S. House Republicans vote against ‘reckless’ $1.2 trillion spending package

The U.S. House of Representatives approved a $1.2 trillion government funding bill Friday, which, if passed by the Senate, will avert a partial government shutdown.

The package of six funding bills passed the House by a 286-134 vote.

The legislation funds the departments of Defense, Homeland Security, Labor, Health and Human Services, and State, as well as general government, financial services and foreign operations. The engrossed spending package accounts for 70% of annual discretionary federal funding.

While the measure passed – it did so without the help of Republicans in the Alabama congressional delegation.

U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-Haleyville), who chairs the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, said he couldn’t support the bill because of earmarks attached primarily by Democrats in the Senate.

This is not the bill that my subcommittee produced and supported. The Senate has taken liberties with their Congressionally Directed Spending requests that would never stand in the House. https://t.co/j34EjH09hj

— Robert Aderholt (@Robert_Aderholt) March 21, 2024

“This is not the bill that my subcommittee produced and supported. The Senate has taken liberties with their Congressionally Directed Spending requests that would never stand in the House,” Aderholt said in a statement. “The House did not include these partisan funding projects in its Labor-HHS legislation. Based on these principles, the Senate shouldn’t either.”

RELATED: Reps. Gary Palmer, Barry Moore vote against government spending package

The Congressman said there were provisions in the bill that worsen the border crisis.

“I have multiple concerns,” he added, “among them are the many new social services that this bill would create for the millions of illegal immigrants streaming across our border. Additionally, it would fund facilities providing routine abortion services, including late-term abortions. The Senate must respect the work of the House. In good conscience, I cannot and will not vote for these projects or this bill.”

Aderholt then listed the projects online that he objected to which included the following:

• Sen. Reed (D-RI), Sen. Whitehouse (D-RI), $1,808,000 – Women and Infants Hospital, RI (HRSA) – Provides late-term abortions.
• Sen. Shaheen (D-NH), $650,000 – Dartmouth Hitchcock Nashua, NH (HRSA) – Routinely provides late-term abortions.
• Sen. Gillibrand (D-NY), $146,000 – Apicha Community Health Center, NY (HRSA) LGBTQ/family services to youth. Website notes that they offer “services related to your pregnancy choices.”
• Sen. Markey (D-MA), $850,000 – LGBTQ Senior Housing Inc, MA (ACF) – LGBTQ services for illegal immigrants, free drug needle exchange.
• Sen. Booker (D-NJ), $400,000 — Garden State Equality Education Fund, NJ (Education Innovation and Improvement) – LGBTQ youth advocacy.
• Sen. Heinrich (D-NM), $780,000 – Amador Health Center, NM (HRSA) – LGBTQ services.
• Sen. Murray (D-WA), $706,000 — Entre Hermanos, WA (HRSA) — LGBTQ asylum and illegal immigration services advertised, drag brunch advertised.
• Sen. Blumenthal (D-CT), $156,000 – Hartford Gay and Lesbian Health Collective, CT (HRSA) – LGBTQ services.
• Sen. Casey (D-PA), $400,000 – Mazzoni Center, PA (HRSA) – LGBTQ services, advertises fundraiser featuring drag queens and kings & burlesque performers; and other services to youth as young as 14 stating that “patients under 18 can receive confidential care regarding sexual and mental health without parental permission”; and offers a Femme University “aimed at catering to the younger generation of trans or gender nonconforming femmes.”
• Sen. Bennet (D-CO), $845,000 – Envision: You, CO (SAMHSA) – LGBTQ advocacy.
• Sen. Shatz (D-HI), $550,000 – Hawaii Health and Harm Reduction Center, HI (SAMHSA) – LGBTQ services and syringe exchange.
• Sen. Schumer (D-NY), $1,000,000 — SAGE, NY (ACL) – LGBTQ advocacy.

U.S. Rep. Dale Strong (R-Huntsville) said he voted against the funding package because it doesn’t stop the Democrats’ “reckless” spending.

When Republicans took the majority, we promised the American people that we would change the way Washington does business by providing 72 hours to review legislation, and that we would eliminate reckless spending that solely advances a liberal social agenda.

My full statement ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/ByAFZ9SQKF

— Dale W. Strong (@RepDaleStrong) March 22, 2024

“Chuck Schumer and President Biden ignored a majority of the American people by stripping out House-passed provisions to secure our southern border and get a handle on our illegal immigration crisis, while at the same time, adding earmarks to fund the Democrats’ radical left agenda including funding for abortion facilities, LGBTQ indoctrination, and benefits for the millions of illegal immigrants pouring through our border,” Strong said in a statement. “When Republicans took the majority, we promised the American people that we would change the way Washington does business by providing 72 hours to review legislation, and that we would eliminate reckless spending that solely advances a liberal social agenda. This bill failed both of those tests.”

U.S. Rep. Gary Palmer (R-Hoover) argued that he couldn’t support the “bloated” bill and that Congress should work to pass appropriations bill through the normal process.

I voted against the bloated spending package. pic.twitter.com/j1GpexTH0X

— Gary Palmer (@USRepGaryPalmer) March 22, 2024

U.S. Rep. Barry Moore (R-Enterprise) said he didn’t support the legislation because it includes the “wasteful status quo spending.”

Today, I voted NO on a $1.2 TRILLION swamp omnibus that funds the same woke, weaponized and wasteful status quo spending.

A majority of House Republicans joined me in opposing this legislation. We need to secure our southern border and put America first. pic.twitter.com/7a3upa3a89

— Rep. Barry Moore (@RepBarryMoore) March 22, 2024

U.S. Rep. Jerry Carl (R-Mobile) believes this bill didn’t do enough to address the crisis at the border.

Today, I voted against the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act because it:

❌ Has no funds for border wall
❌ Funds late term abortions
❌ Funds DOD transgender surgeries

— Rep. Jerry Carl (@RepJerryCarl) March 22, 2024

U.S. Rep Terri Sewell (D-Birmingham), the lone Democrat in the Alabama congressional delegation, parted ways with her Republican colleagues and voted in favor of the funding because she wanted to avoid a partial government shutdown.

1/ I voted YES on a set of bills to fund the government and prevent a shutdown.

While no compromise is perfect, Dems secured key wins including increases for cancer research, child care and Head Start, and a 5.4% increase in the basic allowance for housing for military families.

— Rep. Terri A. Sewell (@RepTerriSewell) March 22, 2024

Yaffee is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts “The Yaffee Program” Weekdays 9-11am on WVNN. You can follow him on Twitter @Yaffee