© Djordje Korovljevic | Dreamstime.com
The day after voting unanimously to protect big oil subsidies, those deficit peacock House Republicans voted unanimously to keep spending taxpayer dollars on bridges to nowhere [sub req].
House Democrats used a creative floor maneuver Wednesday to force Republicans into blocking the elimination of more than $180 million in funds left over from the infamous “Bridge to Nowhere” earmark.
During consideration of a bill that would extend the authorization for surface transportation programs through Sept. 30, Democrats offered a motion to recommit that would have eliminated $183 million in funding to Alaska.
Originally earmarked in the 2005 surface transportation reauthorization for two bridges in rural Alaska, the funds were ultimately directed to the state’s transportation department after the earmark became a symbol of Congress’ abuse of the system. One of the bridges, to a tiny community on Gravina Island, became famous as the Bridge to Nowhere.
The House defeated the motion largely along party lines, 181-246. Seven Democrats voted against the motion, with no Republicans voting for it.
The Gavel, minority leader Pelosi's blog, notes that with "Republican leaders like Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA) saying Republicans had become 'a party on the Bridge to Nowhere' and Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX) explaining 'often, taxpayers’ money is spent unwisely on items like bridges to nowhere'" the vote was an opportunity for Republicans to live up to their promises.
Fat chance.