Old news has a way of being recycled. With a new appropriation for operations in Iraq looming, it’s a good time to look back at the terrible way the last one was handled.

Back in the fall, the U.S. Senate, with a prearranged voice vote, passed an $87 billion emergency spending bill to fund reconstruction efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. At the time, we were appalled that such an important piece of legislation could be OK’d with just six members present.

For the record, Republican Senators Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island and Ted Stevens of Alaska and Democrats Byron Dorgan of North Dakota, Daniel Inouye of Hawaii and Harry Reid of Nevada voted in favor of the measure. Democratic Sen. Robert Byrd of West Virginia was the only no.

It’s was a travesty. According to Daniel Schorr, a commentator for National Public Radio, this was the biggest emergency appropriation ever sought by a president and any of the six senators present, including the dissenting Byrd, could have called for a quorum and forced members on the record. But it didn’t happen.

Since then, it’s gotten even worse.

The Society of Professional Journalists has been working since the vote to document, on the record, the position of every senator. Twenty have declined to state their position. It’s a mix of Democrats and Republicans that includes some pretty big names, such as Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, former Majority Leader Trent Lott, Hillary Clinton, Judd Gregg of New Hampshire and Democratic presidential contender John Edwards.

That’s ridiculous. Both of Maine’s senators, Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, were quick to go on the record with us and with SPJ. They would have supported the spending.

“The mere act of taking a voice vote on such a crucial matter of public policy diminishes the stature of the U.S. Senate,” said SPJ President Gordon McKerral.

As he points out, it makes us wonder who these 20 senators are really representing.

We wouldn’t sit by and allow the state Legislature or a city council to hold a vote without going on the record. We shouldn’t tolerate it in Congress either.


Split decision


The split between Maine’s senators, Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, perfectly shows the problem with funding a massive part of the federal government with one vote.

Snowe voted against the omnibus spending bill this week, helping to temporarily delay its passage. Collins voted for it. Both positions are perfectly reasonable. The bill finally passed Thursday.

Many worthwhile programs are funded by the bill, including funding for veterans’ medical care, AmeriCorps and heating oil assistance. Maine also would receive its share of the pie: $4 million for the Waldo-Hancock Bridge, $1.25 million for buses and $200,000 for the Central Maine Community College. That’s why Collins voted yes.

Snowe opposed the bill because of a provision she believes will threaten Maine’s fishing industry. She also opposes changes in the legislation that allow new overtime rules.

Funding seven of 13 federal agencies with a single, catchall bill shows no leadership. Issues, many of which deserve individual attention, are bundled together with must-pass legislation, billions of dollars of pork and controversial riders that undermine the will of Congress.

Senators are left with a take-it-or-leave-it proposition. Take the bad or don’t get any of the good. That’s no choice at all.

This crazy system must be reformed.
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