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McCain calls the Sandy emergency-spending bill a train 'full of pork'
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said there are several unnecessary measures in the emergency-spending bill for Hurricane Sandy relief that the Senate is considering.
The Senate started consideration this week of H.R. 1, a bill to provide $60 billion to Hurricane Sandy recovery efforts, but some conservatives have said the bill has unnecessary spending measures, during a time when lawmakers are trying to make spending cuts.
“We cannot look at this in a vacuum,” McCain said on the floor Tuesday. “Not at a time when we’re $17 trillion in debt.
“It’s like a train leaving the station — it’s full of pork and it’s leaving the station and everyone wants to get aboard."
McCain proceeded to list several measures he said were either unrelated to Hurricane Sandy recovery or aren’t considered emergencies, including fishery and drought funding that would go to states outside of the northeast.
“There is money for wildfires, which is desperately needed because we’re in a severe drought,” McCain said. “And I want that money for my state, but it has nothing to do with Hurricane Sandy.”
In October, Hurricane Sandy hit the northeast hard, affecting 12 states and their infrastructure.
The Obama administration has called for a $60.4 billion package and the Senate version fulfills that request. Republicans have questioned why there is some money for things such as Head Start centers, transportation improvements and park clean up, among others.
McCain introduced an amendment that would have removed $58 million in the bill for the forest restoration program, which he said is for planting trees on private property. He said such a program was “obviously not an emergency," but he could not pass the amendment since there was not a sufficient second.
The Senate is expected to continue work on amendments to the spending bill until it leaves for Christmas.
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