WASHINGTON, D.C. (WHNT) — Almost all of Alabama’s congressional delegation voted to reject a $1.7 trillion omnibus spending bill to fund the federal government Friday. The final package passed on a 225-201-1 vote.
According to The Hill, the bill includes an increase in defense spending, $40 billion in aid to Ukraine, reform for the Electoral Count Act, and emergency disaster relief.
The state’s lone congressional Democrat, Rep. Terri Sewell, was the only “yea” vote from Alabama on the bill. All six Republican congressmembers voted “nay.” On the U.S. Senate side of things, Richard Shelby voted in favor of the bill with what could be his final vote in the upper chamber, while Sen. Tommy Tuberville voted against it.
Multiple members of the state’s congressional delegation released statements on why they voted against the bill.
“While there were parts of this omnibus package that I endorsed and fought for, ultimately, Democrats pursued a process that made the package impossible for me to support,” said U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt, the dean of Alabama’s congressional delegation.
“This eleventh hour omnibus continues a reckless spending pattern,” said Aderholt, claiming the package would drive up inflation, not address “the crisis at the border” and leave Americans with “sky-high energy costs.”
U.S. Rep. Jerry Carl, whose district covers parts of South Alabama including Mobile, said, “While there are some good things in the bill, there are way too many bad things for me to support it.”
Carl claimed the omnibus spends “billions of taxpayer dollars on things like beefing up the IRS and the UN, while doing nothing to secure our southern border and stop the flow of deadly drugs into our communities, ease the burden of inflation on hardworking American families, and lower the cost of fuel.”
Montgomery-area Rep. Barry Moore said on Twitter the spending package “continues or increases funding for the Biden administration’s most dangerous policies.”
Moore said he was discouraged by the number of Senate Republicans backing the bill — and said “House Republicans must take the lead in the next Congress fighting for the interests of the American people.”
U.S. Rep. Gary Palmer also spoke on the spending package.
Passing a $1.7 trillion spending bill days before Christmas is government at its very worst. This over 4,000-page bill fails to address issues that matter most to the American people.
Our border is left open during a record wave of illegal immigration. Almost $4 billion is spent on energy assistance programs while Democrats continue to vilify widely available forms of energy and drive-up costs. The $800 billion aimed at non-defense spending is the highest level in the history of the nation while our country is experiencing inflation at 7.1% compared to last year.
These are just a few examples of why I cannot support this bill or the broken process that produced it.
U.S. Rep. Gary Palmer
As of 3 p.m. on Friday, December 23, Reps. Mike Rogers, Terri Sewell, and Mo Brooks, who will leave public office in January, have not released full statements or reactions to the omnibus package.
The spending package now heads to President Joe Biden’s desk. To see a full breakdown of what made it into the 2022 omnibus bill, click here.
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