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Tuesday, March 19, 2024
March 19, 2024

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In Our View: Unfinished Business

The Columbian
Published:

Members of Congress have returned to work following a Thanksgiving hiatus, and their to-do list between now and the end of the year is extensive. While much of the focus will be on threats and counter-threats of a government shutdown, many other issues that don’t grab headlines have a potential impact upon taxpayers.

The first item involves passage of a $1.15 trillion omnibus spending bill that would keep the government running. A current stopgap funding measure expires Dec. 11, giving lawmakers a little more than one week to ensure that government agencies do not close in the midst of the holiday season. While passage of the bill is essential, the avenue leading to that point is filled with political intrigue.

Among the other fine-print issues is a need to pass long-term funding for highway and transit programs. Current federal transportation funding is scheduled to expire Friday, and lawmakers are trying to wrap up talks on a multiyear bill such as one that passed the Senate this summer. That proposal authorized funding for six years but would pay for only the first three years of projects — providing an example of Congress’ unwillingness to deal with complex problems. Another example: The federal government spends $50 billion a year on transportation, but the federal gas tax of 18.4 cents per gallon provides only $34 billion.

Providing for infrastructure is one of the most crucial aspects of ensuring a robust and growing economy, and Congress should take long overdue steps to secure and develop that infrastructure.

The transportation bill on the table also includes a provision of importance to Washington state, as it would revive the moribund Export-Import Bank. The bank, despite typically providing a profit for taxpayers, has become the target of conservative lawmakers who claim it amounts to corporate welfare. The bank has been essential to many Washington companies, most of them small businesses that are attempting to compete in the global marketplace. It should be revived.

While common sense dictates that transportation and the Export-Import Bank should be able to find strong bipartisan support in both chambers of Congress, many of the other issues will be beholden to partisan gamesmanship. As Politico wrote of the looming budget showdown: “The universe of the hundreds of possible policy riders is vast, and many issues could be potential land mines.” Among them are rollbacks of President Obama’s environmental and financial regulations, funding for Planned Parenthood, the Affordable Care Act, and plans to allow Syrian refugees into the United States.

In an ideal world, Congress would view a spending bill as simply that. But with Republicans in control of both chambers, this is their opportunity to extract some concessions from Democrats and the Obama administration. That is the way politics work, but the hope remains that the end goal will be to serve the public rather than score items that can be presented as political victories that in truth are harmful to taxpayers.

That likely is wishful thinking, as the congressional schedule for next year indicates a lack of dedication to the important business of the people. The Senate calendar for 2016 calls for 143 days at work, while the House of Representatives has scheduled 111 days in session — a little more than two days a week. The public deserves better, and the next two weeks provide elected officials with an opportunity to begin providing it.

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