Rep. Kevin Hern raises an interesting issue.

[hislegacy]

From his facebook page.

A constituent asked me a great question yesterday that many of you are probably wondering too. This individual pointed out that I serve on the House Budget Committee and asked why I wasn’t busy with that committee during this pressing time. It’s a great question; why isn’t the Budget Committee one of the most active committees right now?

I looked back at our hearing schedule – which is set by Democrat Chairman John Yarmuth – over the last couple months. In July, the committee had two hearings total. In June, we also had two hearings, but in May and April, the Budget Committee did not meet at all. That means we’ve had a sum total of FOUR Committee hearings since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. The House has proposed and passed some big-ticket items at unprecedented spending levels, yet the Budget Committee has not had a single hearing or any input on those bills.

- HR 6074 passed on March 4th, was signed into law and appropriated $8.3 billion: ZERO hearings
- HR 6201 passed on March 14th, was signed into law and appropriated $104 billion: ZERO hearings
- HR 748 passed on March 27th, was signed into law and appropriated over $2.2 trillion: ZERO hearings
- HR 266 passed on April 24th, was signed into law and appropriated over $484 billion: ZERO hearings
- HR 6800 passed the House May 15th, has not yet been signed into law but proposed spending $3 trillion: ZERO hearings

With the exorbitant spending Congress has done this year, it’s clear that the Budget Committee should be working to draft a budget. More than ever, we need a budget to guide our decisions and help the country recover.


I found it interesting -

Thoughts?

 

[Arc F1]

From his facebook page.

A constituent asked me a great question yesterday that many of you are probably wondering too. This individual pointed out that I serve on the House Budget Committee and asked why I wasn’t busy with that committee during this pressing time. It’s a great question; why isn’t the Budget Committee one of the most active committees right now?

I looked back at our hearing schedule – which is set by Democrat Chairman John Yarmuth – over the last couple months. In July, the committee had two hearings total. In June, we also had two hearings, but in May and April, the Budget Committee did not meet at all. That means we’ve had a sum total of FOUR Committee hearings since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. The House has proposed and passed some big-ticket items at unprecedented spending levels, yet the Budget Committee has not had a single hearing or any input on those bills.

- HR 6074 passed on March 4th, was signed into law and appropriated $8.3 billion: ZERO hearings
- HR 6201 passed on March 14th, was signed into law and appropriated $104 billion: ZERO hearings
- HR 748 passed on March 27th, was signed into law and appropriated over $2.2 trillion: ZERO hearings
- HR 266 passed on April 24th, was signed into law and appropriated over $484 billion: ZERO hearings
- HR 6800 passed the House May 15th, has not yet been signed into law but proposed spending $3 trillion: ZERO hearings

With the exorbitant spending Congress has done this year, it’s clear that the Budget Committee should be working to draft a budget. More than ever, we need a budget to guide our decisions and help the country recover.


I found it interesting -

Thoughts?

If they actually proposed a balanced budget 90 percent of the government workers would have to be fired. They are probably thinking it's better to just ignore the lack of revenue.

 

[hislegacy]

If they actually proposed a balanced budget 90 percent of the government workers would have to be fired. They are probably thinking it's better to just ignore the lack of revenue.

I think the approach to the National Budget is nonsensical in that the budget is based on spending and then going after how to raise enough tax income to cover spending.

Most budgets I have worked on is the polar opposite in that we base our spending on projected income, not our income based on projected spending.

It is why every Government funded entity from the Post Office to Social Security is a money pit always in deficit spending.

 

[Jonathan Walkerin]

I think the approach to the National Budget is nonsensical in that the budget is based on spending and then going after how to raise enough tax income to cover spending

You know they are not doing that. They are taking more debt instead.

U.S. National Debt Clock : Real Time

 

[Quartermaine]

From his facebook page.

A constituent asked me a great question yesterday that many of you are probably wondering too. This individual pointed out that I serve on the House Budget Committee and asked why I wasn’t busy with that committee during this pressing time. It’s a great question; why isn’t the Budget Committee one of the most active committees right now?

I looked back at our hearing schedule – which is set by Democrat Chairman John Yarmuth – over the last couple months. In July, the committee had two hearings total. In June, we also had two hearings, but in May and April, the Budget Committee did not meet at all. That means we’ve had a sum total of FOUR Committee hearings since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. The House has proposed and passed some big-ticket items at unprecedented spending levels, yet the Budget Committee has not had a single hearing or any input on those bills.

- HR 6074 passed on March 4th, was signed into law and appropriated $8.3 billion: ZERO hearings
- HR 6201 passed on March 14th, was signed into law and appropriated $104 billion: ZERO hearings
- HR 748 passed on March 27th, was signed into law and appropriated over $2.2 trillion: ZERO hearings
- HR 266 passed on April 24th, was signed into law and appropriated over $484 billion: ZERO hearings
- HR 6800 passed the House May 15th, has not yet been signed into law but proposed spending $3 trillion: ZERO hearings

With the exorbitant spending Congress has done this year, it’s clear that the Budget Committee should be working to draft a budget. More than ever, we need a budget to guide our decisions and help the country recover.


I found it interesting -

Thoughts?

Let's see...

according to the House budget committee section of the congressional record in June and July of 2020 the House budget committee held hearing on 27 different bills.

HR6074 was introduced to the house and referred to the appropriations and budget committees on 3/4/20 Representative Lowry Snow R-Utah moved to suspend the rules regarding committee approval and pass the bill. The motion to not send the bill to committee hearings passed 415 to 85. Rep Herm voted to not send the bill to committee BTW...maybe he forgot that.


HR6201 was introduced to the house on 3/11/20 Referred to the Committee on Appropriations, and in addition to the Committees on the Budget, and Ways and Means. Budget committee met 3/14/20 for hearing on HR6201. HR6201 passed by the House 3/18/20. HR6201 passed by the Senate 3/18/20


HR 748 was only refereed to the House ways and means committee

HR 266 was only refereed to the House ways and means committee

HR 6800 according to the congressional record HR 6800 is in committee and has not passed the house

 

[Arcangl86]

I think the approach to the National Budget is nonsensical in that the budget is based on spending and then going after how to raise enough tax income to cover spending.

Most budgets I have worked on is the polar opposite in that we base our spending on projected income, not our income based on projected spending.

It is why every Government funded entity from the Post Office to Social Security is a money pit always in deficit spending.

Well the difference is that the government needs to decide what services are necessary and then figure out how to fund them, not decide what services to provide based on revenue. Do we suddenly no longer need a military because revenues have dropped? That's the big difference between governments and private entities, even nonprofit ones.

 

[hislegacy]

Let's see...

according to the House budget committee section of the congressional record in June and July of 2020 the House budget committee held hearing on 27 different bills.

HR6074 was introduced to the house and referred to the appropriations and budget committees on 3/4/20 Representative Lowry Snow R-Utah moved to suspend the rules regarding committee approval and pass the bill. The motion to not send the bill to committee hearings passed 415 to 85. Rep Herm voted to not send the bill to committee BTW...maybe he forgot that.


HR6201 was introduced to the house on 3/11/20 Referred to the Committee on Appropriations, and in addition to the Committees on the Budget, and Ways and Means. Budget committee met 3/14/20. Passes house 3/18/20. Passed Senate 3/18/20


HR 748 was only refereed to the House ways and means committee

HR 266 was only refereed to the House ways and means committee

HR 6800 according to the congressional record HR 6800 is in committee and has not passed the house

Yup, they get a lot done when they meet.

They should meet more often.

 

[hislegacy]

Well the difference is that the government needs to decide what services are necessary and then figure out how to fund them, not decide what services to provide based on revenue. Do we suddenly no longer need a military because revenues have dropped? That's the big difference between governments and private entities, even nonprofit ones.

Not what I said at all.

There are certain thins we absolutely need to fund and a whole lot we don't. I am a small government proponent. Infrastructure, National Security (including military), social security are are absolute imperatives - followed by trade Embassy's etc. and ancillary things. I 100% support cutting non essential programs.

Like my business, We know the estimated income, the cost of doing business, leases, payroll etc. and then there is the controllable items. We review each quarter and where we need to, we adjust spending.

The Government should do the same.

Support a balanced budget amendment!

 

[jgarden]

'Grim Reaper' Mitch McConnell Admits There Are 395 House ...
https://www.newsweek.com › ... › Senate › House › Congress › Bills › Fox
Feb 14, 2020 - ... There Are 395 House Bills Sitting in the Senate: 'We're Not Going to Pass Those' ... Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said that 395 bills sitting in the ... Capitol February 11, 2020, in Washington, D.C. Senate Republicans held the Newsweek magazine delivered to your door; Unlimited access to ...
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Rep. Kevin Hern raises an interesting issue.

The House passed the "Heroes Bill" and placed it on McConnell's desk since the end of May where it just gathered dust for 2 months!

The House has already passed over 400 bills in this session that have been sent to die in the Senate, so its hypocritical for congressional Republicans to be pointing fingers at the Democrats for not scheduling more sessions!

 

[Arcangl86]

Not what I said at all.

There are certain thins we absolutely need to fund and a whole lot we don't. I am a small government proponent. Infrastructure, National Security (including military), social security are are absolute imperatives - followed by trade Embassy's etc. and ancillary things. I 100% support cutting non essential programs.

Like my business, We know the estimated income, the cost of doing business, leases, payroll etc. and then there is the controllable items. We review each quarter and where we need to, we adjust spending.

The Government should do the same.

Support a balanced budget amendment!

Unlike your business, the government's purpose is not to make a profit. It's to provide needed services. The difficulty is that neither party can agree on what those needed services are. So both parties take on their pet projects to the budgets and thus make them larger. Of course there is only one party that then does everything they can to reduce revenue at the same time. I agree that the budget is bloated and needs to be trimmed, but I also think the Republican instinct to cut taxes as a solution to almost every problem doesn't work.

 

[Quartermaine]

Yup, they get a lot done when they meet.

they did

They should meet more often.

do they need to?

 

[Quartermaine]

Well the difference is that the government needs to decide what services are necessary and then figure out how to fund them, not decide what services to provide based on revenue. Do we suddenly no longer need a military because revenues have dropped? That's the big difference between governments and private entities, even nonprofit ones.

in 2020 we spent over 720 billion on out military, We spend more on out military then the next 26 countries combined, 25 of which are our allies. This is why our national debt is out of control.

 

[hislegacy]

do they need to?

Yes, budget oversight committee should be at work during a time that trillions of dollars are being added to the budget.

Does that really need to be said?

 

[Arcangl86]

Yes, budget oversight committee should be at work during a time that trillions of dollars are being added to the budget.

Does that really need to be said?

Psst. The budget and appropriations are not the same thing. That's why Ways and Means has been so busy, because they are the actual committee tasked with spending money, regardless of if it's in the budget or not.

 

[Quartermaine]

Yes, budget oversight committee should be at work during a time that trillions of dollars are being added to the budget.

Does that really need to be said?

Committees deal with the legislation that they are are assigned. if they have dealt with all they were assigned then they woudl be wasting time by continuing to meet. Only two of the bills mentioned in the OP were assigned to the budget committee and one of them was voted to be debated directly on the house floor without going through committee first.

 

[hislegacy]

Perhaps one of the CF Political experts could contact Congressman Hern and let him know he is mistaken on what his committee is supposed to be doing.

 

[Quartermaine]

Perhaps one of the CF Political experts could contact Congressman Hern and let him know he is mistaken on what his committee is supposed to be doing.

someone should clue him in

 

[iluvatar5150]

Perhaps one of the CF Political experts could contact Congressman Hern and let him know he is mistaken on what his committee is supposed to be doing.

You started the thread, why don’t you tell him? He’s your congressman, so he’ll be more inclined to listen to you.