Critics are howling at spending perks and rules littered throughout the $1.7 trillion &#8220;omnibus&#8221; bill meant to fund the federal government for another fiscal year.
The legislation was unveiled in the Senate early Tuesday and boasts $858 billion in defense funding as well as $772.5 billion for non-defense &#8220;discretionary programs,&#8221; <a href="https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/HIGHLIGHTS%20DOCUMENT%20FY%2023.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to a summary</a>. Time is of the essence as funding expires Friday at midnight, leaving some lawmakers to grumble while poring over the legislation that is more than 4,000 pages long.
Rep. Dan Bishop (R-NC) shared a Twitter thread on what he dubbed &#8220;some of the most egregious provisions in the bill.&#8221; First on his list was a section outlining requirements of more than $1.5 million geared toward &#8220;border management requirements&#8221; for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, including a ban on using those funds &#8220;to acquire, maintain, or extend border security technology and capabilities, except for technology and capabilities to improve Border Patrol processing.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
It expressly prohibits CBP funding from being used to improve border security. <a href="https://t.co/g2F4o1zl2D">pic.twitter.com/g2F4o1zl2D</a>
&mdash; Rep. Dan Bishop (@RepDanBishop) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepDanBishop/status/1605255430304927746?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2022</a></blockquote>
At a time when Republicans condemn the Biden administration for not doing more to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/abcs-martha-raddatz-blames-border-crisis-on-gop-falsely-claims-biden-never-told-migrants-to-come" target="_blank" rel="noopener">secure the U.S.-Mexico border</a>, Bishop pointed out that the bill &#8220;allocates $410 million towards border security for Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Tunisia, and Oman.&#8221;
Detecting something &#8220;fishy,&#8221; Bishop noted that the word &#8220;salmon&#8221; appears 48 times in the bill, which included a $65 million commitment to Pacific coastal salmon recovery. He also found $3 million for bee-friendly highways.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
$65 million for salmon? 
Seems fishy. <a href="https://t.co/JSdjpuffGq">pic.twitter.com/JSdjpuffGq</a>
&mdash; Rep. Dan Bishop (@RepDanBishop) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepDanBishop/status/1605263749597765646?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2022</a></blockquote>
The conservative Heritage Foundation released a list of its own focused on <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/pride-centers-and-wax-museums-here-are-the-woke-projects-buried-in-congress-spending-bill" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8220;WOKE PRIORITIES IN THE OMNIBUS,&#8221;</a> including several LGBTQ projects and “anti-racism” initiatives.
Among the list of earmarks, the group said, were $1.2 million for “LGBTQIA+ Pride Centers,&#8221; $477,000 for the Equity Institute in Rhode Island &#8220;to indoctrinate teachers with &#8216;antiracism virtual labs,'&#8221; and $3 million for the American LGBTQ+ Museum.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
💸 $1.2 million for “LGBTQIA+ Pride Centers” 💸 $1.2 million for &quot;services for DACA recipients” (aka helping illegal aliens with taxpayer funds) at San Diego Community College. 💸 $477k for the Equity Institute in RI to indoctrinate teachers with “antiracism virtual labs.”
&mdash; Heritage Foundation (@Heritage) <a href="https://twitter.com/Heritage/status/1605233872073068544?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2022</a></blockquote>
Conservative members of Congress are particularly rankled by some of the items that have to do with parks and trails.
In addition to nearly $45 billion more aid to Ukraine and NATO allies, the omnibus seeks to fund the creation of a &#8220;Ukrainian Independence Park.&#8221; Another section would designate a federal building in San Francisco as the &#8220;Speaker Nancy Pelosi Federal Building.&#8221; There is also a $3.6 million <a href="https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/THUD_DISCL_20221216.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Transportation Department allotment</a> for a &#8220;Michelle Obama Trail&#8221; in Georgia.
Perks such as these had Rep. Mary Miller (R-IL) saying she would vote against the &#8220;radical Biden omnibus&#8221; and Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) assailing the &#8220;reckless&#8221; bill and asking followers, &#8220;Are you ok with all of this?&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
I will vote against the radical Biden omnibus, which includes &quot;woke&quot; nonsense like a $3.6 million &quot;Michelle Obama Trail&quot; in Georgia. Why are Senate Republicans voting for this? <a href="https://t.co/iHiyU3nNIQ">https://t.co/iHiyU3nNIQ</a>
&mdash; Rep. Mary Miller (@RepMaryMiller) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepMaryMiller/status/1605240473479692288?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2022</a></blockquote>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
The Democrats&#39; reckless omnibus bill spends YOUR money on a &quot;Michelle Obama Trail,&quot; a &quot;Ukraine Independence Park&quot; in DC, and a &quot;Speaker Pelosi Federal Building&quot; in San Francisco.
Are you ok with all of this?
&mdash; Rep Andy Biggs (@RepAndyBiggsAZ) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepAndyBiggsAZ/status/1605283863110078480?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2022</a></blockquote>
Scott Parkinson, vice president for government affairs at the Club for Growth, posted a list of &#8220;fun&#8221; earmarks, breaking down many of the allotments by states and districts for lawmakers.
For instance, he singled out Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and the other members of &#8220;The Squad,&#8221; surmising these high-profile leftists will &#8220;disregard&#8221; an increase in defense spending because they each got &#8220;MILLIONS&#8221; in earmarks.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
I think <a href="https://twitter.com/AOC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AOC</a> &amp; the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Squad?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Squad</a> will disregard the $$ defense increase &amp; vote yes. 
Why? AOC got MILLIONS of $$ in Earmarks.<a href="https://twitter.com/IlhanMN?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IlhanMN</a> got MILLIONS of $$ in Earmarks. <a href="https://twitter.com/RashidaTlaib?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RashidaTlaib</a> got MILLIONS of $$ in Earmarks.<a href="https://twitter.com/AyannaPressley?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AyannaPressley</a> got MILLIONS of $$ in Earmarks.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SwampSquad?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SwampSquad</a> /13
&mdash; Scott T. Parkinson (@ScottTParkinson) <a href="https://twitter.com/ScottTParkinson/status/1605237526930903040?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2022</a></blockquote>
Republican lawmakers were also subject to scrutiny, particularly those who are retiring.
Outgoing Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK) <a href="https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2022/12/20/retiring-jim-inhofe-slips-511-million-into-1-7-trillion-omnibus/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">got $511 million</a> worth of earmarks in the omnibus, and Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL), the vice chairman of the Committee on Appropriations who had a major role in drafting the legislation, <a href="https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Division%20B%20-%20CJS%20Statement%20FY23.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">scored earmarks</a> worth more than $656 million, <a href="https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2022/12/20/retiring-sen-richard-shelby-slips-656-million-worth-earmarks-1-7-trillion-omnibus/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to Breitbart News</a>. Shelby also gets an FBI training center renamed after him.
&#8220;In return for giving away nine months of GOP leverage with the disastrous Omnibus, Richard Shelby gets an FBI building named after him. Nobody is a cheaper date than a Senate Republican,&#8221; tweeted Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
In return for giving away nine months of GOP leverage with the disastrous Omnibus, Richard Shelby gets an FBI building named after him. Nobody is a cheaper date than a Senate Republican.
&mdash; Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) <a href="https://twitter.com/charliekirk11/status/1605288979011719190?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2022</a></blockquote>
In addition, the package would give $2.63 billion for U.S. attorneys, including funding “to further support prosecutions related to the January 6 attack on the Capitol and domestic terrorism cases,” according to a fact sheet <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/20/politics/spending-bill-congress-omnibus/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported by CNN</a>.
Also tacked on to the omnibus are reforms to the Electoral Count Act, which former President Donald Trump sought to use in disputing the results of the 2020 election. Retiring Sen. Ben Sasse (R-NE) rebuked Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) for not getting those changes passed separately.
&#8220;Two things are true at once: ECA reform is important, trust-building work to protect the peaceful transfer of power; and Omnibus spending bills are an embarrassing, trust-draining way to govern,&#8221; <a href="https://twitter.com/McCormackJohn/status/1605575299088863232" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sasse told National Review</a>. &#8220;Chuck Schumer should have brought ECA reform to the Senate floor sooner, but he was less interested in its substance than in using it as a sweetener in this crap sandwich.&#8221;

<script async src="https://www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<script async src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script><div data-widget-host="revcontent" data-pub-id="165152" data-widget-id="290588"></div><script src="https://delivery.revcontent.com/165152/290588/widget.js"></script>

Pork, Parks, And Woke: All The ‘Fun’ Features In $1.7 Trillion Omnibus

DOJ To Start Giving Congress Epstein Docs By Week’s End, House Oversight Chair Says

Trump Weaponization Czar Puts January 6 Committee Associates On Notice

Critics Of Trump’s Ukraine-Russia Peace Effort Have Been ‘Wrong’ For Decades, GOP Senator Says

Rubio Reveals The ‘Only Way’ To Achieve Ukraine-Russia Peace Deal

GOP Proposal Gives Trump Authority To Extend D.C. Police Takeover

Bessent Targets ‘Eye-Popping’ Stock Gains Made By Members Of Congress

News

Congress

Federal Government

U.S.

A video goes viral showing a baby being refused his mother by two gay "dads". This is just the tip of the iceberg, which is why we will have an important discussion today about surrogacy. 

Hour 1

The Matt Walsh Show

Ep. 1765 - This Video Is One Of The Worst Things I've Seen In A Long Time 

The Strait of Hormuz officially opens for business (kind of), the Pope makes “shocking” comments on immigration, and President Trump promises UFO disclosure at TPUSA. 


The Michael Knowles Show

Ep. 1956 -  Pope Leo's "SHOCKING" Immigration Comments EXPLAINED

A false miscreed has corrupted our leadership class.


The Andrew Klavan Show

Ep. 1275 - Dumb, Dumber and Progressive

President Trump announces a 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel, a murder-suicide involving former Democratic Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax shakes Virginia, and France and Britain hold a conference to secure the Strait of Hormuz – after the Iranian conflict ends. Get the facts first with Morning Wire.

- - -

Ep. 2738

- - -

Wake up with new Morning Wire merch: https://bit.ly/4lIubt3

- - -

Today's Sponsors:

Alliance Defending Freedom - Visit https://JoinADF.com/WIRE or text 'WIRE' to 83848 to learn more.

Pocket Hose - Text MORNING to 64000 to get a FREE pocket pivot and their 10-pattern sprayer with the purchase of ANY size Copper Head hose. Message and data rates may apply.

Morning Wire

U.S. Expands Hormuz Blockade & VA Fairfax Deaths Investigated | 4.17.26

U.S. Expands Hormuz Blockade & VA Fairfax Deaths Investigated | 4.17.26 [Member Exclusive]

A ceasefire goes into effect between Israel and Lebanon, a tragic murder-suicide rocks Virginia, and Dairy Queen deploys AI in the drive-thru. Get the facts first with Evening Wire.
- - -
Ep. 2737
- - -
Wake up with new Morning Wire merch: https://bit.ly/4lIubt3 
- - -
Today’s Sponsor:

Alliance Defending Freedom - Visit https://JoinADF.com/WIRE or text “WIRE” to 83848 to learn more.


Menu

— News —

Pork, Parks, And Woke: All The ‘Fun’ Features In $1.7 Trillion Omnibus