Appropriations

Some House Republicans are receiving bad grades from a conservative think tank for their votes last week on spending cuts.

Heritage Action for America, a sister organization to the Heritage Foundation released a report card Thursday on the willingness of House members to make spending cuts, based on 21 amendments to the continuing resolution (CR) that passed the House early Saturday. That CR would cut current government spending levels by $61 billion.

Heritage singled out 18 Republicans as particularly “reluctant to cut,” including a number of Appropriations Committee members. These members were largely arguing that cuts the committee had made in the bill were sufficient.

Heritage gave poor marks to Appropriations Committee members Steve LaTourette (R-Ohio), Mike Simpson (R-Idaho), Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.), Chris Smith (R-N.J.), Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-N.J.), Frank Wolf (R-Va.) and Bill Young (R-Fla.).

In addition, the think tank cited six freshman Congressmen: Reps. Charles Bass (R-N.H.), Michael Grimm (R-N.Y.), Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.), Robert Dold (R-Ill.), Rep. Steve Stivers (R-Ohio) and Pat Meehan (R-Pa.). 

Reps. Dave Reichert (R-Wash.), Judy Biggert (R-Ill.), Jim Gerlach (R-Pa.), Robert Wittman (R-Va.) and Charlie Dent (R-Pa.) were also called "reluctant to cut" by Heritage. 

Of the hundreds of amendments offered to the CR, the organization selected those votes that strictly cut spending, as opposed to those that shifted spending or took aim at specific Obama administration policies.

Heritage concluded that 47 members, all Republicans, “showed a rock-solid willingness to cut spending by voting for every spending cut,” while 133 Democrats voted against every cut.

An aide said Democrats are identifying spending cuts "in the spirit of trying to narrow the gap" with House Republicans.

Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton wants to prevent the District of Columbia government from closing if the federal government shuts down.

The U.S. Conference of Mayors is ready to stage a march on Washington to oppose spending cuts.

The heads of 29 international aid organizations have written to House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and other House leaders urging them to restore funding cut in the spending bill the House passed early Saturday morning. They call the cuts devastating and say they will hurt America's reputation.

The letter sent Tuesday night kicks off a lobbying campaign by the groups to head off the cuts, which are part of the $61 billion in cuts Republicans are seeking this year.

It warns that the bill “would imperil the longstanding U.S. commitment to provide lifesaving humanitarian assistance for those threatened by disaster and conflict.”

It notes that the spending bill cuts global disaster aid by 67 percent, refugee assistance by 45 percent and global food relief by 41 percent relative to 2010.

The bill risks that the U.S. will not be able to “show up” during the next crisis on the order of the Haitian earthquake or genocide in Darfur, the groups say.

Four Senate Democrats are opposing GOP efforts to roll back net neutrality rules through spending legislation.

Republicans and their allies are keeping up the pressure on vulnerable Democratic lawmakers early in the campaign cycle.

Crossroads GPS, the group conceived of by GOP strategists Karl Rove and Ed Gillespie, announced Wednesday that it's purchased $450,000 worth of radio airtime, the bulk of which is in a dozen Democratic-held swing districts.

The group's ad targets Democrats who voted against the Republicans' continuing resolution (CR), the funding measure passed by the House on Saturday that cuts $61 billion from current spending.

Opening with a quote from the late President Ronald Reagan, the Crossroads ad talks about the "explosive growth of government."

"Members of Congress like Joe Donnelly voted to continue the failed spending policies of Pelosi and Obama. They just don't get it," the announcer says in the minute-long ad. Indiana's Donnelly edged out his Republican challenger in 2010 with 1 percent of the vote.

The group's largest expenditure — more than $63,000 — is in New York's 1st district, where Rep. Tim Bishop (D) squeaked out a reelection victory almost a month after Election Day. The group also purchased airtime in 10 Republican-held swing districts thanking the members for their vote on the CR.

Meanwhile, the National Republican Congressional Committee followed up the release of its first TV ad earlier this week with a round of auto-calls in the districts of 10 "vulnerable Democrats," according to a release. Utah Rep. Jim Matheson (D), who was on the receiving end of the TV ad, also gets hit with the call.

States are lining up for an extra piece of high-speed rail funds as several governors refuse to accept federal stimulus dollars. 

Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley wrote a letter on Friday to Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood saying that his state would gladly accept any extra funds for several major high-speed rail projects for the Northeast Corridor (NEC). 

Three newly elected Republican governors -- Florida's Rick Scott ($2.4 billion), Wisconsin's Scott Walker ($810 million) and Ohio's John Kasich ($400 million) -- all have rejected federal money for high-speed rail, over concerns that the states may face cost overruns.

"As you know, Maryland is committed to jobs creation and economic growth," O'Malley wrote. "I believe transportation infrastructure projects including passenger rail offer a path to economic recovery and a stronger, more competitive future." 

Proposed spending cuts to the Social Security Administration (SSA) for the remainder of fiscal year 2011 could lead to furloughs, according to an internal letter sent Thursday to SSA employees. 

SSA officials warned in the letter that it might have to furlough workers if budget cuts proposed by House Republicans are enacted. 

"Given the potential of reduced congressional appropriations for the remainder of the fiscal year, the agency is issuing this notice at this time in the event that a furlough may become necessary," Jay Clary, acting associate commissioner, Office of Labor-Management and Employee Relations wrote in the letter. 

The postal service ran an $8.5 billion deficit last year, and lawmakers are scouring to find areas to cut.