Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-NC, took a lonely stand last week against the realities of life in Washington—and lost.
Unlike the majority of her colleagues, Foxx appears to actually review legislation before voting on it.
Editorial The Jefferson Post
Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-NC, took a lonely stand last week against the realities of life in Washington—and lost.
Unlike the majority of her colleagues, Foxx appears to actually review legislation before voting on it. Too many representatives put their trust in their party leadership, rather than thinking for themselves. The case in question here was H.R. 4939, the War on Terrorism and Disaster Assistance Supplemental bill. Tucked away in this massive appropriation was $36.1 million for international broadcasting—this on top of $652 million appropriated earlier for the same purpose.
Foxx’s objection was that the bill was for emergency funding—and this was not an emergency item. Though a relatively small part of the legislation, it stuck out for Foxx, who believed it should have been considered separately on its own merits, and not lumped in where it did not belong.
So she tried to amend the bill, and got run over by the House in a 88-333 vote against her measure. Foxx commented, “This war supplemental spending bill was supposed to be solely for emergency spending for the war. It should not be used as a free-for-all for non-emergency spending that should be debated in our yearly budget and appropriations process.”
Putting money near most members of Congress produces a reaction that might be compared to the effect of blood on sharks or slop on pigs. A stampede usually is the result.
Partisanship plays a big role in this process. The other party’s requested expenditures are always extravagant waste, pork barrel or worse. So far, Foxx has taken several highly unpopular stands on spending proposed by her own party, and she is to be congratulated for doing so. That included taking a stand for greater oversight on spending for the Katrina recovery. As time has shown, she was right on target on this issue—and the Bush Administration far off base. Just go to Arkansas and check out the acres of decaying trailers that wait while people live in tents on the Gulf Coast.
As Foxx learned last week, when the pork barrel—or any special funding slipped into a large bill—gets rolling, it is easier to get run over than stop it. But we hope—and expect—that will not discourage her from similar battles in the future. If nothing else, such actions keep the public aware of what really goes on in the Capitol.
Foxx’s work ethic intimidated her colleagues of both parties in the state Senate. We dare say it is having the same impact on those she works with in Washington.We applaud her energy, and urge her to greater efforts at controlling the current, insane federal spending spree.
