As government shutdown looms, Sen. Joni Ernst not backing down on ‘Make ’em Squeal’ campaign

CEDAR RAPIDS - Despite a setback in her efforts to reform the congressional budgeting process, Sen. Joni Ernst remains committed to her efforts to give the budget the force of law and save the process from CHIMPs.

With the federal government facing its 21st shutdown since 1974, Ernst is calling for 'bold changes” to hold members of Congress accountable for finishing the budget job on time and to end what she refers to as Washington's 'addiction” to continuing resolutions.

'As many of you know, I was elected largely on my promise that I would make Washington squeal,” the first-term Iowa Republican said, referring to her 2014 'Make 'em Squeal” campaign slogan. 'We need bold changes, and I will continue to call for those changes and continue to hold my colleagues accountable until that happens.”

Ernst has put forth proposals that would eliminate what she calls budgeting gimmicks by cracking down on the use of Changes in Mandatory Programs - CHIMPs - in the appropriations process 'that produce billions in hidden overspending,” she said.

However, it isn't happening this year. Ernst and GOP colleagues Sens. David Perdue of Georgia and James Lankford of Oklahoma, all members of the Joint Select Committee for Budget and Appropriations Reform, offered amendments that would have set a series of milestones for passing budget and appropriations bills. The amendments aimed to keep Congress on track to meet funding deadlines, which would provide more certainty for federal agencies and the military, but they did not pass.

'One of the most essential roles of Congress is to fund the government,” Ernst said. 'However, since 1974 congress has passed all of our spending bills just four times and the federal government has been shut down 20 times.”

The amendments were similar the 'No Budget, No Vacation Act” that Ernst introduced earlier this year that would have prevented senators from leaving Washington if they failed to pass a budget and spending bills on time.

'Unfortunately, my amendments failed to pass,” Ernst said. 'To be honest, I am very frustrated that some of my colleagues voted to preserve their vacations and the dysfunctional status quo instead of working together to fix the broken process.”

Another of her amendments would have prevented senators from taking any official travel if budget and appropriations bill were not passed on time.

The proposals called for changing the budget from a concurrent resolution to a joint resolution, which would require the president's signature and give the budget the force of law.

l Comments: (319) 398-8375; james.lynch@thegazette.com