Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY) bashed the $1.7 trillion omnibus spending bill, saying the bill “does not reflect the priorities of the American people.”
Malliotakis, who voted against the bill, appeared on Fox News to explain her reasoning. She derided the bill as wasteful and not reflecting the wishes of the public. She particularly took issue with her Republican colleagues who voted for it.
“[Republicans who voted for the bill] are members who are, again, on their way out the door. And I think it’s kind of just taking the pork and running. And it is unfortunate, because I don’t believe that this is in the best interest of the American people,” she said.
She also rejected the excuse from some lawmakers that there was no alternative aside from shutting down the government.
“Those who tell you that the alternative to not embracing this bill, that was jammed down our throats at the 11th hour, right before Christmas, they are telling us that the only alternative was to shut the government down. That is simply not true. There was another alternative, and that was to continue the current funding level until the new year, and allow the new congress, that the people elected in November, to draft a budget that was appropriate, that was responsible,” the congresswoman said.
She went on to deride the lack of funding for border security and extensive foreign aid found in the bill.
“There has never been before a lame duck Congress that has tried to jam in this type of massive spending on their way out the door,” Malliotakis said.
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The omnibus bill was criticized by many Republicans who said it was filled with wasteful spending, but it was defended by some Republican lawmakers who claimed that there wasn’t a better alternative.
