Senate Democrats Block Welfare Reform

We have written several times about the extravagant budget offered by Patty Murray and Senate Democrats, and will return to that topic in the days to come. For the moment, one significant point that has received hardly any publicity relates to welfare. With welfare now the biggest item in the federal budget, one would think that any sane budget would look for ways to control burgeoning welfare costs. But no: the Democrats block each and every effort at reform.

In yesterday’s mark-up process in the Senate Budget Committee, Republican senators offered several amendments that addressed out-of-control welfare spending. The Democrats voted them all down, unanimously. One of these was particularly egregious. Jeff Sessions offered an amendment that addressed the Obama administration’s outrageous policy of advertising the easy availability of food stamps in foreign countries. This is how Sessions described the amendment:

Contrary to sound policy, the United States is spending money advertising food stamp benefits in foreign consulates. This amendment would prohibit any funds from being spent on this controversial promotion campaign.

Federal law has long prohibited immigration to the U.S. by anyone who is likely to become a public charge. Instead of enforcing this law, the Obama administration has willfully violated it by encouraging immigration to the U.S. by Mexicans and others, precisely because they will become public charges and thereby contribute to the expansion of the welfare system. The administration’s promotion of the food stamp program to foreign nationals is part of this effort.

It is hard to imagine an easier way to cut federal spending than by ceasing the advertising of easy availability of food stamps in foreign consulates, but every Democrat on the Budget Committee–Senators Murray, Wyden, Nelson, Stabenow, Sanders, Whitehouse, Warner, Merkley, Coons, Baldwin, Kaine and King–voted “No.” If one of them represents you, you should let him or her know what you think of this vote.

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