The Senate on Friday ignored a warning from Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., that the huge fiscal deal being considered today would add hundreds of billions of dollars to the national debt, and voted down his effort to separate the measure into two parts.
Manchin is outraged that the legislation being considered today includes language to extend dozens of tax breaks, which would add $680 billion to the deficit. In a floor speech Thursday, he said it’s irresponsible to hand out tax breaks that sink the country further into debt.
“We are giving out $680 billion in irresponsible tax breaks Christmas gifts to every special interest and corporation that asked for one,” he said Thursday. “We gave Christmas presents to millionaire race car drivers and motorcycle riders, film, television and theater producers and even race horse owners.”
“But I don’t think many middle class Americans would be happy to know we gave away billions of dollars in tax gifts to millionaires and billionaires at their expense,” he added. “And they should be especially upset that we did it by mortgaging the futures of their children and grandchildren.”
On Friday morning, Manchin raised a budget point of order in an effort to allow senators to split the bill in two parts, allowing a vote on the $1.1 trillion spending measure for the rest of fiscal year 2016, and another vote on the tax extender language.
But another Democrat, Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., moved to waive Manchin’s request, and Wyden’s motion was approved 73-25.
That vote followed a motion to table the entire package from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., which was another effort to split the bill into two pieces. But that motion was rejected 31-67.
After the vote on Manchin’s proposal, the Senate easily approved the giant bill 65-33. With that vote, the Senate sent the bill to the White House, where President Obama was expected to sign it.
The Senate vote followed a 316-113 vote in the House to pass the spending bill, over the objections of 95 Republicans. Republican leaders on both sides called the deal a compromise that gives victories to both sides, most notably GOP language to end the oil export ban, and Democratic language extending green energy tax credits.
But many Republicans opposed the final deal because it raises spending by $80 billion over two years, and excludes conservative riders ending taxpayer funding for Planned Parenthood and halting a Syrian refugee resettlement program. Republican lawmakers also opposed a provision in the deal that raises the cap on visas for low-skilled foreign workers.
Outside conservative groups urged Republicans to vote “no.”
“The omnibus should have been an opportunity for conservatives to reassert their prerogatives on a host of important issues, ranging from appropriate spending levels to substantive action on refugee resettlement, executive amnesty, Planned Parenthood, and many more,” the conservative Heritage Action declared in a memo to lawmakers.
