Senator Bob Corker on Omnibus Spending Bill: "Irresponsible" to Pass Without Caps on Spending

U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-TN) appeared on Fox News Channel's "America's Newsroom" on December 15, 2010, to discuss his opposition to the omnibus spending bill, which he characterized as "incredible" and "wrong." The bill, which was packed with billions in pork projects, had a 1,924-page bill with 6,000 earmarks, sparking Corker's criticism. He argued that the bill would only serve to kick the can down the road and fly in the face of the principles spoken about during the last election.

Key Takeaways:

Senator Bob Corker introduced bipartisan legislation to cap federal spending in an effort to reduce the national debt, which had surpassed $13 trillion at the time.
Corker criticized the omnibus spending bill, citing its 1,924 pages and 6,000 earmarks as evidence of wasteful spending.
He advocated for a short-term continuing resolution to allow government to be funded until February or March 2011, when a more comprehensive approach to reducing spending could be taken.
Corker expressed concern that passing the bill would eliminate the possibility of declining spending in 2011, particularly in light of the upcoming debt-ceiling vote in April or May 2011.
He acknowledged that the bill's passage would allow for further entitlement spending and dependency on the national credit card, which would ultimately be unsustainable.
Corker emphasized the need to take responsible action to reduce spending and cap expenditures as a percentage of the country's gross domestic product (GDP).

Statistics:

The U.S. national debt exceeded $13 trillion at the time of the interview.
The omnibus spending bill contained 6,000 earmarks.
The bill spanned 1,924 pages.
The debt ceiling was set to be raised in April or May 2011.
The U.S. government's entitlement spending was seen as a major contributor to the national debt.

Sources:

Senator Bob Corker, interview on "America's Newsroom" (Fox News Channel), December 15, 2010.
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