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Return to Article: Senator holds out hope for finishing spending bills

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  Hurray for Sen. Byrd and the Appropriations Committee! Age has not hindered Senator Byrd's ability to get the job done. Such dedication! Great Job! A good Leader knows how to delegate.

  FY09 Budget will be delayed until March 2009? It's unacceptable that Congress cannot pass a Budget before the fiscal year starts in October without going into a Continuing Resolution. I cannot believe the Presidential elections will delay the approval of the Budget. God help our Nation! The Budget may not be your Checkbook but you should be guarding it like your own and quit the "tit for tat" between the political parties. You were voted into your position for the betterment of the United States and this should be foremost in your mind on all issues.

  The NSPS (Pay for Performance) has been shoved down Civilians throat and should apply to Congress also (this is not a situation of "do as I say; not as I do").

  American Taxpayer Posted July 17, 2008 8:56 AM
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  The comments of Senate leaders above [or their Budget Committee surrogate/staffs] and the entire GovExOnline article is a good example of a non-news/news story - akin to say, the "news" of wildfires in California each summer, or the "news" of defense weapon systems "overruns", or reports on the annual "return" of the swallows to Capistrano. It is a lock on bet that Congress will NOT complete all the funding bills by fiscal end year, that another continuing resolution will be passed, then reauthorized 3 to 4 times unto a final date after installation of the new President-- of course all the Dod budget/dollars will pass, but very few of the domestic agencies. Since, I as a routine reader, I'd guess most/all other readers and surely the entire GovEx news staff know this -- why not include a bit of "commentary" - labeled as such--within the posting or hyperlinked -- on the tactical objectives of the "delay" -- I mean, the intentions, goals and gains of key players in Senate, House, White House, lobby and interest groups in NOT passing the budget "on time." Correct my numbers, but aren't we in the 15th or is it 17th fiscal year of consecutively "late" fiscal year budgets, and isn't "delay" now the norm, in short no longer new or "news." Whatever, there is a charming artificiality to "reports" on the annual struggles of Senate and House bigwigs to pass all 13 budget bills on time. In the future, please add some Washington insight/commentary, it will be genuine value added and a refreshing counter point to all those puffy new releases from Budget Committee staff.

  Concerned Retiree Posted July 14, 2008 3:59 PM
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  Senator Byrd has done soooooo much for WV and he is still sharp as a tack - HE makes all decisions and HE makes sure that WV gets it's fair share. I don't know what we will do without him and just because he is 90 doesn't mean he should leave office - like the other poster said - he does more than most young people.

  Melissa STalnaker Posted July 14, 2008 3:48 PM
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  No wonder Congress' approval rating is hovering around 10%. If Congress was a business it would be filing for Chapter 11, its books examined, its members laid off (or fired), and its "leaders" investigated. What do these Senators and Reps think they are getting paid to do? Term and age limits!

  Larry Posted July 14, 2008 1:15 PM
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  Its been 3 years and they still throwing money down the Katrina hole. Its time to end the government handouts and make the states assume their proper role

  dan m ketter Posted July 14, 2008 11:25 AM
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  Last time I checked, each state has elections. If in those elections the voters decide to keep putting those same people in to office, it's the voters choice. And to be fair, there are plenty of "young" politicians who do nothing.

  Bill Posted July 14, 2008 10:49 AM
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  It would be interesting to know how much Senator Byrd really said about the Appropriations Bills, or was it his staff doing the work again. We need age limits for Members of Congress and the Supreme Court. What happened to Strom Thurmund, and is happening to Byrd and Stephens (AK) is not fair to the taxpayers. Near their end of service, their staff were making decision and running their offices. We elected the Senators, not their staffs.

  frank Posted July 14, 2008 7:44 AM