Regulations and Government
Congressional Observer: November 2003
Reviewing the latest from Capitol Hill

Back in the 1700s the poet Robert Burns wrote, “The best laid schemes o’ Mice an’ Men gang aft agley an’ lea’ us naught but grief an’ pain for promis’d joy!” The 108th Congress “scheme” (plan) to have appropriations bills for the 13 government agencies wrapped up and signed off by October 1, the start of the new fiscal year, went “gang aft agley” (went awry), for only three of the 13 bills made it through the process.

Continuing resolutions will be in order to keep the agencies going on last year’s funding, but “grief and pain” could be in store for taxpayers should Congress resort to another omnibus bill that would lump all appropriations bills into one. The “promis’d joy” would be derived by legislators who characteristically lard an omnibus bill with earmarked amendments that have the look, smell and taste of pork.

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