Oversight
Sessions Calls USDA’s Food Stamp Tactics Into Question
WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, issued the following statement today in response to the continued emergence of reports that the U.S. Department of Agriculture has undertaken an aggressive outreach campaign to swell the food stamp rolls even when an individual does not need or wish to receive financial assistance: "It has become increasingly clear that, in recent years, the mission of the food stamp program has been converted from targete… Continue Reading
07.06.12
How Debt Destroys Jobs—And Why We Need A Budget
1,164 days have elapsed since Senate Democrats last offered a budget plan for the nation. Since that time, we've spent $11 trillion and added $4.7 trillion to the debt. The unemployment rate has now been above 8 percent for 41 consecutive months. Higher debt leads to slower economic growth. Empirical studies show that high levels of government debt inhibit economic growth by creating uncertainty, displacing needed private investment, and placing upward pressure on interest rates.[1] For example… Continue Reading
06.28.12
SBC Analysis Of President Obama’s Health Law
"The task now before the country is to fully repeal this onerous and unworkable law. If it is not repealed, it will cause Americans' personal health costs-and our nation's debt-to rise disastrously. It will massively expand the power and reach of the federal bureaucracy and its intrusion into our lives and livelihoods. This bill is bad for health care, damaging to our economy, and contrary to our free market heritage" - Sen. Jeff Sessions Health Law Spends $2.6 Trillion Over First Full Ten … Continue Reading
06.28.12
Sessions: Health Law ‘Financially Devastating To Our Republic’; Must Be Repealed
"The health care law is utterly unaffordable-[adding] $17 trillion in unfunded long-term obligations… It is unthinkable our nation would add this new, colossal debt burden at a time when we are already borrowing forty cents out of every dollar we spend. This 2,700-page health law… will be financially devastating to our Republic… If it is not repealed, it will cause Americans' personal health costs-and our nation's debt-to rise disastrously. It will massively expand the power… Continue Reading
06.21.12
Following Farm Bill’s Senate Passage, Sessions Reiterates Need For Welfare Reform
"Under this proposal, food stamp spending will average $77 billion each year for the next ten years. The average in the seven years prior to the recession was $28 billion. Is it the official view of the White House, and the Senate majority, that our economy will experience no improvement for a decade? … "Those supporting these record increases voted down an amendment that would have simply ensured food stamps are provided only to those who meet the program's existing eligibility requirem… Continue Reading
06.19.12
Sessions Comments On Senate Majority’s Rejection Of Modest Reforms To $800 Billion Food Stamp Budget
"Those administering the program seem determined to place the largest number of people possible on welfare support. Is not a better goal to see how many Americans we can help achieve financial independence?" WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, issued a statement today following votes on two of his food stamp reform amendments: "It is disappointing that the Senate majority rejected modest attempts to reform the single largest growing major … Continue Reading
06.19.12
Food Stamp Reforms Will Help Both The Recipient And The Treasury
Modest reforms to the food stamp program will not only reduce fraud and waste-producing substantial savings for the taxpayer-but will help more Americans achieve the shared goal of financial independence. Background: When food stamps were first expanded nationally in the 1970s, just 1 in 50 Americans participated; today the figure is almost 1 in 7. The program has doubled in size since 2008 and quadrupled since 2001. Food stamps are one of nearly 80 means-tested federal welfare programs, in… Continue Reading
06.19.12
Sessions, Thune Urge Conrad To Schedule Mark-Up Of Sequestration Transparency Act
"Having information about how the sequester would be implemented, and the specific items of spending that would be reduced, is critical to Congress in evaluating the impact of the sequester. Congress has tried repeatedly to obtain this information from the Office on Management and Budget, and it has not been provided. As a result, this legislation is needed for Congress to do its job with full information." WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee… Continue Reading
06.18.12
Sessions, Grassley Criticize ‘Unapologetic’ Response From Ninth Circuit About Maui Judicial Conference
WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, and U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued the following statement today in response to a letter from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals defending the planned million-dollar judicial conference at the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa in the Hawaiian tropics: "We have received a reply from the Ninth Circuit regarding its fourth planned Hawaii conference … Continue Reading
06.14.12
Sessions Responds To President's False Claim That His Budget Pays Down The Debt
WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, issued the following statement today in response to President Obama's comments on the debt: "I was stunned that President Obama said his plan will pay down the national debt. His budget would add $11 trillion to the debt in ten years and was rejected unanimously in the United States Senate. He has refused to call upon his Senate Majority to produce a budget plan for the first time in three years. Most… Continue Reading
06.08.12
Sessions Comments On President’s Economic Address
WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, issued the following statement today after President Obama held a news conference on the state of the economy: "It is astounding that, only days after the Congressional Budget Office issued its chilling debt outlook, President Obama once again failed to seriously address the single greatest threat facing our economy. America's total debt-which is greater than that of the entire Eurozone and UK combined-is … Continue Reading
06.07.12
Unveiling Food Stamp Amendments, Sessions Outlines Moral Case For 21st Century Welfare Reform
"I have filed a modest package of food stamp reforms to the farm bill that will achieve several important goals: Save taxpayer dollars; reduce the deficit; achieve greater accountability in how the program is administered; confront widespread waste; direct food stamps to those truly in need; and help more Americans achieve financial independence… It is time to re-engage the national discussion over how the receipt of welfare benefits can become damaging, not merely to the Treasury but al… Continue Reading
06.06.12
Sessions Writes Conrad Concerning $14 Billion Increase In Senate Allocations Above BCA Levels
WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, sent the following letter today to Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad about the outlay levels filed as required by the Budget Control Act. Although that law directs outlay aggregates be set at the CBO March 2012 baseline level, Conrad used figures apparently derived from President Obama's unanimously rejected budget, which will result in $14 billion higher spending and debt in fiscal year 2013. Text of … Continue Reading
06.06.12
Issue 1: The Budget Control Act - Update
05.29.12
Sessions, Issa Press DOI To Stop Stonewalling, Provide Requested Info On Corporate Energy Loans
"It is suggestive and troubling that more than half a year has passed without DOI providing the requested documents and information. Our concern is heightened given the serious nature of the questions raised and the government's pattern of indiscretion in providing government assistance to politically connected green energy companies such as Solyndra." WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, and U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA), Chairman of the Ho… Continue Reading
05.23.12
Thune, Sessions Demand Transparent Plan From Obama Administration For Implementing Sequestration Cuts
WASHINGTON, D.C.-Senator John Thune (R-SD), Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference and a member of the Senate Budget Committee, today was joined by Senate Budget Committee Ranking Member Jeff Sessions (R-AL) in introducing the Sequestration Transparency Act of 2012, a bill requiring the Obama Administration to provide Congress with its plan for implementing the required budget sequestration cuts for fiscal year 2013. "The Democrat-led Senate's failure to produce a budget year after year h… Continue Reading
05.22.12
Stunning Discovery: Senate Majority Fixed Discretionary Outlays For FY13 At Obama Budget Level, $14 Billion Above Debt-Deal Agreement
"The outlay levels for the appropriations bills have been inflated by $14 billion to meet the levels in the President's budget… It is unthinkable that we would not only spend more than Congress agreed to, but would institute instead the numbers derived from President Obama's budget which this chamber unanimously rejected… I'm afraid that this is another example of the sleight-of-hand tactics that have been used in Congress for too long. We have Members of Congress that take it as… Continue Reading
05.21.12
Sessions, Grassley: Lavish 9th Circuit Judicial Conference In Maui Could Cost Taxpayers More Than $1 Million
WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, and U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released a letter today to Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Chief Judge Alex Kozinski concerning a planned judicial conference in Maui, Hawaii. In their letter, the Senators note that the taxpayer-funded conference, scheduled for August 13-16, features opportunities for numerous recreational activities not related to any of… Continue Reading
05.17.12
Sessions: Senate Majority Backs Reid, Supports Leader’s View That Having A Budget Is ‘Foolish’
WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, issued the following statement today after every member of the Democrat Conference voted to reject every budget the Senate considered, including President Obama's: "Today, before the whole nation, the majority party running the Senate effectively declared that as long as they're in charge this country will not have a budget. Their message is simple: Send Washington more money. Don't ask us what we'll do … Continue Reading
05.16.12
Timeline Of Senate Democrats’ Refusal To Make Budget Plans Public
April 29, 2009 - The last time the Democrat-led Senate adopted a budget resolution. Also the last time the Majority brought a budget plan to the floor. April 22, 2010 - The Budget Committee completes action on a mark-up and reports a budget out of committee, but the Democrat majority chooses to keep its own plan from being offered on the Senate floor. This is the last time the Majority conducted a legally required markup. May 17, 2011 - Despite missing the statutory deadline for a budget to be… Continue Reading
