The ridiculously bloated $1.7 trillion omnibus spending package predictably passed in the House on Friday, likely becoming the Democrats’ last big legislative vote before they’re relegated to the minority in the new year.
The bill, loaded with enough pork to supply a BBQ restaurant for a month, was favored by nearly every House Democrat except one: New York’s radical progressive Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. AOC was the only House Democrat to vote “no” on the spending package.
And she’s super proud of that “nay” vote.
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But why would she buck the Democratic Party’s last hurrah? Because besides all the stupid things the spending bill funds, it also happens to fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Heaven forbid we fund the two agencies that actually need the extra funds to deal with the onslaught of illegals pouring across the border 24/7.
“I campaigned on a promise to my constituents: to oppose additional expansion and funding for ICE and DHS — particularly in the absence of long-overdue immigration reform. For that reason, as well as the dramatic increase in defense spending which exceeds even President Biden’s request, I voted no on today’s omnibus bill,” the New York Democratic socialist tweeted Friday.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez released the following statement following her ‘no’ vote on the omnibus spending bill: pic.twitter.com/90HZhhDbCt
— Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@RepAOC) December 23, 2022
The Hill noted:
The appropriations bill passed by Congress includes $8.42 billion for ICE, which is $161.1 million more than what was enacted in 2022 and $319.4 million more than what the president requested.
DHS received $86.5 billion in discretionary resources.
AOC called the funds allotted for the two agencies a “dramatic increase,” and she’s not wrong. A reasonable person would connect the numbers with the “dramatic increase” in illegal aliens overtaking the country at the southern border on President Joe Biden’s watch.
But the DHS and ICE funds weren’t the only congressional Festivus grievances aired by AOC on Friday, as she also complained about the process by which the massive spending bill was passed.
“From the beginning of this negotiation, we made clear to Democratic leadership that we must keep the practice of voting on funding bills by agency — particularly controversial agencies like DHS — so that Members would not be forced to betray one part of their district in service of expediency,” Ocasio-Cortez said.
“We were successful in this approach last year, and looked forward to supporting such a package this year,” she added. She pointed out several piles of pork she helped slip into the bill, such as the ever-important PUMP [Providing Urgent Maternal Protections] and PWFA [Pregnant Workers Fairness] Acts.
But hey, forget about those pregnant women if it means that even one extra cent goes to helping DHS and ICE get a grip on the illegal immigration crisis. How dare they!
While AOC’s sheep-like followers typically applaud her every move, a glance at some of the comments in her latest statement revealed that not everyone was impressed by her rebellious “no” vote on Friday.
“When you vote ‘no’ to keep the government running, there’s no explanation you can give for it. You are failing to do your job as a legislator. Just like the Republicans who voted no are,” one Twitter user wrote.
The same person wrote in a follow-up tweet, “And it’s not an isolated incident either. Last year, you voted no on the infrastructure bill, just like most of the Republicans did. Your district still benefits from it because other people did their jobs while you didn’t.”
Even though AOC voted against the spending bill, it didn’t stop her from celebrating the bill’s passage in an Instagram post.
“Now, funding for these projects has finally passed out of the House and the Senate, and will be signed into law by President Biden!” AOC wrote while taking full credit for voting against passing the projects she claims are important for her constituents.
What a joke.
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