This government funding bill funded all aspects of the federal government from October 1 through December 9, 2016. Absent from this budget bill was any sort of meaningful limitations on a single illegal, abusive, or harmful executive action taken by President Obama. In fact, this spending bill funded every major policy priority of the Obama administration. Absent from the bill were limitations or reforms to Obamacare, Planned Parenthood funding, Obama’s transgender bathroom mandate on the states, sanctuary cities, unconstitutional amnesty, or anything resembling a spending reduction or fiscal responsibility to address our $20 trillion debt. Additionally, this spending bill offered specific funding to combat Zika, despite funding already being available. There were no restrictions on whether this government money could go to Planned Parenthood, which effectively increased government funding for the nation’s largest abortion provider. What was particularly disturbing about this blank check is that the timing of the budget deadline coincided with two new harmful unilateral policies of the Obama administration: the giveaway of oversight over internet IP addresses to a foreign entity and a net increase in refugee admissions for the new fiscal year. Of course, the failure to do anything about Obama’s increase in refugee admissions comes on top of the existing increase in refugees from the Middle East during a time of grave homeland security concerns. While one expects compromise with divided government, this spending package was truly breathtaking as it embodies Democrat values – as if Republicans did not in fact actually control Congress. Finally, this bill was timed to expire during December, and thus creates a lame-duck session, which exposes America to the inevitable danger of multiple onerous policies jammed through by retiring members, including those who have lost their bid for reelection. The bill passed the House on September 28, 2016 342-85.

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Conservative position: NO