As two House spending subcommittees start work on legislation for next year's federal budget, a look through those two bills gives us a little view into why these measures are more than just about dollars and cents.
The House Appropriations Committee begins work today on budget bills for Homeland Security and a plan that deals with Military Construction and veterans programs.
Let's start with what we call the "Mil-Con" bill, which like any spending measure has a series of provisions that dictate how taxpayer money can and cannot be used.
Sometimes, they are a bit outdated, like Section 408 of the Mil-Con measure, which blocks money for a group that no longer exists:
"None of the funds made available in this Act may be distributed to the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) or its subsidiaries or successors."
Defining "successors" to ACORN might prove a little problematic in a court of law, but this provision is in the bill nonetheless.
Next is Section 409, which states that "None of the funds made available in this Act may be used to maintain or establish a computer network unless such network blocks the viewing, downloading, and exchanging of pornography."
What's interesting is that language is not included in the Homeland Security bill, so maybe it's okay for those involved in homeland defense to check out some nekkid women while on the job.
Over in the Homeland Security bill, Section 513 cracks down on something I had never heard of, "None of the funds made available in this Act may be used to amend the oath of allegiance required by section 337 of the Immigration and Nationality Act."
Let's talk money on these two bills, since that is of prime importance to many in dealing with the large federal deficit.
The Homeland Security bill would spend $40.59 billion, down just over $1 billion from this year.
The Mil-Con bill would spend $72.5 billion, down only $615 million. To be clear, the amount for Military Construction is $14 billion, down $2.6 billion from last year. Most of the money in this particular bill is for the Department of Veterans Affairs.
One detail, there is $45.8 million for Arlington National Cemetery, an increase of $700,000 - mainly to help officials there figure out the mismanagement of graves and soldier remains.
These two bills could come to the House floor later this month. There are 12 appropriation bills that must be approved each year by the Congress.
As usual, there seems to be little chance those bills will be finished by the time the new fiscal year begins on October 1.
