Nick Smith, July 18, 2004

Congress is now in the middle of appropriations season. Spending targets have been set and appropriations bills are coming to the floor. As we review these spending bills, it is easy to see the influence of special interest lobbyists and members’ pork barrel projects. As two recent editorials in the Wall Street Journal have pointed out, some members on the Appropriations Committee use what has become a routine sort of blackmail to prevent scrutiny and ensure their bill passes.

They give other members of Congress a choice - vote for the bills or else. Budget hawks are told that they won’t receive funding for priorities in their district if they criticize or threaten to vote against spending. Special interests, often from the members’ district, and government beneficiaries are then recruited to pressure budget hawks. Many spending programs, such as those for space and defense, deliberately spread production across the country so most every state has an interest. Beneficiaries of new spending almost immediately hire or structure a lobbying effort to make sure funding continues.

Last year, many budget hawks saw their transportation projects taken out of the conference version of the bill because we voted against passage when it went through the House. I’m not complaining on my own account; I’m proud of the choices I’ve made. But I think that trying to force members to go along rather than scrutinizing spending is dysfunctional and it’s feeding the irresponsible explosion of government spending. Many members fall to this intimidation early in their career. Others will fight for a time before giving in. Either way, many members become less sensitive to spending levels, and the mountains of debt they are heaping upon the backs of our children and grandchildren. I feel that they also somewhat betray their duty to what is best for our country’s future.

The power of the appropriators goes beyond spending choices and now encompasses spending levels as well. During my 12 years in Congress, spending has increased between two and three times the rate of inflation. Congress now routinely oversteps the spending limits set by the Budget Committee, adding to our overspending and deficit problems.

To get a handle on these problems, we need to limit the institutional power of the appropriators and their special interest allies. It is a given that politicians frequently find it advantageous to spend taxpayers’ money on local projects. The instinct of politicians to do just that has to be controlled with firm limits on spending and a process that exercises more oversight over the spending and thereby forces the application of greater discretion. Now, it is very difficult to achieve spending discipline. The House even defeated what was actually a very modest budget process reform bill a few weeks ago because Appropriation Committee members opposed it on the floor.

There are few more important issues than overspending and overpromising. Unless we get spending under control, government will lose the ability to do anything other than manage its indebtedness. Already, we pay more than $240 billion a year or 10.5% of total spending for interest on the debt. And that cost is rising rapidly. This fight will influence our kids’ tax burden and standard of living. It will make the difference between economic opportunity and jobs on the one hand, and crippling debt and economic decline on the other. We have to win.

Congressman Nick Smith, a Republican, represents Michigan's 7th Congressional District, which includes Battle Creek and the counties of Branch, Eaton, Hillsdale, Jackson, Lenawee, Calhoun, and Washtenaw in south-central Michigan.