(Washington, D.C.) – The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW) today urged President Bush to veto the $388 billion omnibus spending package that would fund nine of the 13 fiscal year 2005 appropriations bills.  The 2005 Omnibus Appropriations Act was held up by the discovery of an obscure line in the 3,000-page bill, drafted by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and inserted by a staffer of Rep. Ernest Istook (R-Okla.), that would give the chairmen of the Appropriations Committees and their staff assistants the power to view the income tax returns of any American.  The Senate repealed the provision on Saturday, and the House is expected to follow suit on Wednesday.  President Bush announced his intention to sign the final bill once the provision is removed.

“We knew this bill was going to be stuffed with pork,” CCAGW President Tom Schatz said.  “But the IRS fiasco shows that the appropriations process is out-of-control.  Virtually anything could be lurking in this bill, including provisions that have nothing to do with appropriations.  President Bush should veto the omnibus and ask for a coninuing resolution to keep the government running.  Members of Congress should do their jobs for a change by actually reading the legislation they are voting on.”

After Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) referred to the IRS provision as the "Istook amendment," and congressional aides confirmed it had been inserted at Rep. Istook’s request, the congressman spent most of Sunday and Monday deflecting blame for what he termed “a mistake.”  Istook claimed ignorance about the provision and refused to accept responsibility, instead blaming the “process” that allows his subordinates to go over his head.  Most outrageously, Istook claimed that “nobody’s privacy was ever jeopardized” by the provision.       

“Rep. Istook’s juvenile evasion of responsibility is typical of the congressional mentality,” Schatz continued.  “Nobody is held accountable; nobody gets reprimanded.  Politicians are too concerned with their pet projects and provisions to care about the record deficit or what everyone else is doing.  Sens. Ben Nelson (D) and Chuck Hagel (R) defended their vote against the omnibus in terms of fiscal restraint and in the next breath took credit for the earmarks headed to their home state of Nebraska.  It is ridiculous; a mad dash to the pork barrel and to hell with the big picture.     

“President Bush must impose accountability on this Congress,” Schatz concluded.  “Otherwise the budget process will descend further into secrecy and chaos, dashing any hopes for achieving a balanced budget in his second term.”

The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste is the lobbying arm of Citizens Against Government Waste, the nation's largest nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in government.