Isakson Votes Against Spending Bill, Criticizes Senate's Refusal to Offset Costs

Press Release

U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., today denounced efforts to pack a bill designed to provide funds for American troops fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan with $25 billion in additional spending at a time when our country's debt and deficit are at record highs.

"I think it is absolutely critical that we give our men and women in uniform the resources necessary to do their job. However, Senate Democrats stuffed this bill with billions in additional, unnecessary spending," Isakson said. " This type of spending is unsustainable, and it is a recipe for disaster and failure."

The legislation included$33.5 billion for military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. It also included $25.3 billion in other spending. The legislation passed by a vote of 67-28.

Isakson also was disappointed that the Senate rejected two amendments, which Isakson supported, designed to offset the entire cost of the bill.

The first amendment, which was tabled by a vote of 53-45, would have implemented a number of cost-saving measures, including freezing raises, bonuses and salary increases for federal employees for a year. Among other offsets, it would have reduced excessive duplication, overhead and spending within the federal government as well as limited voluntary payments to the United Nations. The legislation also would have eliminated non-essential government travel, bonuses for poor performance by government contractors and increase in foreign aid for international organizations,

The second amendment, which was tabled by a vote of 50-47, would have implemented additional cost-saving measures, including cutting the budgets of members of Congress, disposing of unneeded and unused government property, auctioning and selling unused and unneeded equipment and rescinding unspent and uncommitted federal funds.

"I'm extremely disappointed in the Senate's rejection of common-sense amendments that would have saved the taxpayers billions of dollars by implementing a number of cost-saving measures," Isakson said.

Isakson has a long history of being a good steward of the taxpayers' money. For example, since he was elected to Congress in 1999, Isakson has returned over $2.2 million of his annual Congressional office budget allotment to the Treasury. Additionally, for fiscal year 2009, Isakson will return an estimated $460,000 of his Senate office budget allotment once final expenses have been completed.

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