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WASHINGTON, D.C. (WNY News Now) – No. That’s how Western New York’s representative in Washington, D.C. plans to vote on the just drafted federal fiscal financial plan for next year.
Congressman Joe Sempolinski is sharing concerns about the Omnibus spending bill released by the U.S. Senate on Tuesday.
The Republican representative tells us his grievance is with the overall process, extreme spending level and rushed timing of the bill. He also believes that issues run far deeper than any one piece of legislation that he may support or not support.
The $1.7 trillion dollar bill, which is over 4,000 pages, left out an expansion on the child tax credit as well as a funding to help Afghan evacuees in the U.S. gain lawful permanent residency. It does however include $772.5 billion for non-defense discretionary programs and $858 billion in defense funding.
Congressman Sempolinski referred to the country’s system as “fiscally broken”, stating that setting a budget is about setting priorities. He believes that the government spends money on things that they could spend less on, and that the level of spending proposed in the bill is “outrageous and unsustainable”.
Furthermore, the Rep feels this legislation was secretive and rushed through in the middle of the night.
“As the voice for the people of the 23rd District, I cannot support this legislation, and if it comes to the house as it was produced late last night, I will be voting no on the Omnibus.”
Congressman Sempolinski did state that he does not intrinsically oppose funding to help Ukraine, and that he is a supporter, and cosponsor of the legislation in the spending package, regarding the 911 Survivor/First Responders Fund.
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