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Today, the U.S. House of Representatives approved a 1200-page omnibus spending bill for Fiscal Year 2012 bringing total discretionary spending to more than $1.053 trillion, several billion more than last year's spending level. Congressman Bill Posey voted against the legislation, which spends $31.6 billion more than the House passed budget plan and nearly $10 billion more than the bipartisan Budget Control Act which was agreed to in August. Below is Congressman Posey’s statement regarding his vote:

“Too many in Washington still do not take seriously $1.4 trillion annual budget deficits, adding billions of dollars each and every day to our nation's $15 trillion national debt. Americans watch in disbelief as Europe heads toward economic and social meltdown brought on by years of spending borrowed money. This bill failed to exercise the restraint needed to get our own budget in order.

“The decision to abandon the 72-hour requirement for this 1200-page bill and rush through a stack of spending bills that should have been subjected to thorough review is disappointing. It’s been almost three years since the U.S. Senate has approved a budget. Senate leaders have once again waited until the last minute to consider appropriations bills, which begs the question: just what have they been doing all year besides having dozens of votes on raising taxes?

“More American’s are finding themselves without work each and every day as businesses are strangled by regulation and saddled with thousands of dollars of compliance costs. It is imperative that the Senate take up and consider some of the jobs bills we have sent them so that American businesses can grow, expand and hire American workers.

“The House, and more importantly, the Senate, should hit the ground running next year and work together to stop Washington's wasteful spending and bring accountability to Washington. Let’s learn from Europe's mistakes and turn things around while we can rather than rushing headlong into the same disaster.”