A List of the Special Favors in the Debt Ceiling Bill
Last night congress passed a bill to avert a catastrophic U.S. default and reopen the government. The Bill was a lean 35 pages, but the content was not just about funding government and raising the debt limit. As is always the case in politics, the bill was filled with pork, or special favors slipped into the bill by lawmakers. I mentioned a couple of them in this post last night. Here is a list of what was in the bill besides an increase in the debt ceiling and a funding for the federal government:
- $450 million for Colorado flood relief
- $600 million for fire management and suppression for California and other states
- $2.455 billion for the Veterans Administration to cover claims from former soldiers
- $2.918 billion for a dam project in Senate minority leader’s home state of Kentucky
- $174,000 to Bonnie Englebart Lautenberg, widow of New Jersey Senator Frank Lautenberg
- Extended authority to continue supporting African forces seeking Joseph Koney who was indicted for war crimes against Uganda.
- Furloughed workers will receive back pay.
- $9.248 billion for the FAA to prevent budget cuts from disrupting air traffic controls and safety inspectors
- Congress will NOT see a pay increase to reflect cost of living adjustments during fiscal year 2014 that began on October 1.