The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024 (H.R. 4366) would provide roughly $279 billion in total discretionary spending for three of the 12 fiscal 2024 appropriations bills. This includes funding for Defense Department military construction projects; the Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Agriculture, Food and Drug Administration, Department of Transportation, and Department of Housing and Urban Development; and various other government agencies.
The Senate passed H.R. 4366 on November 1, 2023 by a vote of 82 to 15 (Roll Call 284). We have assigned pluses to the nays because, with the exception of the Department of Defense, none of these federal departments or agencies is authorized by the Constitution. Furthermore, in light of a $33.9 trillion national debt and a $1.7 trillion budget deficit, this appropriations bill is fiscally irresponsible.
