Yesterday, the Senate voted down my motion to maintain 2011 spending levels in certain areas of 2012 appropriations, including agriculture and commerce. This would have saved taxpayers roughly $10 billion. Unfortunately, too many members of the Senate are still committed to fighting every attempt to enact even the smallest amount of savings.

Before the vote, I had the opportunity to address the Senate from the floor. This was my brief speech:

“Mr. President, I filed this motion to recommit HR 2112 with instructions to send this ‘minibus’ back to the committee on appropriations for one simple reason: it spends more for the same set of expenditures in fiscal year 2012 than it did in 2011 to the tune of about $10 billion. I understand that there are reasons for this excess. I understand that when we look at individual components of the 2012 provision, there may be some cuts in there.

“But the overall picture, the entire pie, is about $10 billion more than what we had in FY 2011. Unless we can be open and transparent with the American people and acknowledge the fact that we are, in fact, spending more, I think this is a problem. We've got to get this fiscal house in order.”