Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has blasted Republicans for “focusing on ideological matters that have nothing to do with funding the government” and top Democrats have dismissed out-of-hand a series of policy riders in the House-passed spending bill to fund the government through the rest of 2011.
But in his long career in Washington, Reid has supported numerous policy “riders” to spending and other bills, including emergency spending bills, suggesting his stance now is politically convenient posturing rather than principled conviction.
Reid has used policy riders attached to spending bills to protect the mining industry in Nevada.
In 2003, the Los Angeles Times reported that, starting in 1997, Reid secured a series of riders from his perch on the appropriations committee to delay environmental regulations on the mining industry.
One of those was attached to an emergency-aid bill for Kosovo, the Times reported.
During that time, Reid’s sons and son-in law represented mining interests as lobbyists, and their firms were paid nearly $1 million.
In September 2000, one of Reid’s riders would have limited the scope of regulations by the Interior Department on the mining industry, CQ reported. The rider was put in report language to the Interior appropriations bill.
Protecting the mining industry isn’t the only way Reid has used “ideological matters that have nothing to do with funding the government” to further his policy goals.
Just in September, USA Today reported that Reid attached the Dream Act, which provided a path to amnesty for young illegal immigrants, to a defense reauthorization bill.
Reid’s attachment of the language is particularly notable since the immigration legislation has nothing to do with defense spending.
More here
But in his long career in Washington, Reid has supported numerous policy “riders” to spending and other bills, including emergency spending bills, suggesting his stance now is politically convenient posturing rather than principled conviction.
Reid has used policy riders attached to spending bills to protect the mining industry in Nevada.
In 2003, the Los Angeles Times reported that, starting in 1997, Reid secured a series of riders from his perch on the appropriations committee to delay environmental regulations on the mining industry.
One of those was attached to an emergency-aid bill for Kosovo, the Times reported.
During that time, Reid’s sons and son-in law represented mining interests as lobbyists, and their firms were paid nearly $1 million.
In September 2000, one of Reid’s riders would have limited the scope of regulations by the Interior Department on the mining industry, CQ reported. The rider was put in report language to the Interior appropriations bill.
Protecting the mining industry isn’t the only way Reid has used “ideological matters that have nothing to do with funding the government” to further his policy goals.
Just in September, USA Today reported that Reid attached the Dream Act, which provided a path to amnesty for young illegal immigrants, to a defense reauthorization bill.
Reid’s attachment of the language is particularly notable since the immigration legislation has nothing to do with defense spending.
More here
1 comment:
So what's your point? Reid does it so he's a hypocrit? How about it's just as bad for Republicans to try to add riders as it is for Reid to do it! I thought this new Congress wanted to do things differently. So Reid's a hypocrit - what a story. Now really distinguish yourselves and do the opposite of Reid - NO RIDERS!
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