Spending bill shows wrong prioritie

If you were a member of Congress trying to cut the budget, would you cut subsidies that go to large, profitable agribusinesses, or funding for food safety inspectors? Believe it or not, the spending bill just cleared by Congress does the latter, not the former.

While the bill cut some waste, it left billions worth of special interest subsidies in place and cut public priorities. Taxpayer dollars will continue to pay the international advertising bills of trade associations for profitable industries. The federal government will still fund unnecessary and problematic military projects that even the Pentagon and Army have spoken out against.

Meanwhile, the bill actually cuts funding for critical food safety inspections. And it won’t invest a dime in building high-speed rail, at a time when Illinoisans are driving less and choosing transit more.

There is much more low-hanging fruit when it comes to wasteful spending and inefficiency in our federal budget. Our elected leaders should get their priorities straight and cut the waste, not public priorities.

Dev Gowda

Advocate, Illinois PIRG

Chicago