Study Tracks Record Breakdown in Congress's Fiscal Discipline; No Lawmakers Had Net Voting Records to Reduce Spending Last Year
- For every hour the 108th Congress was in session, the Senate and House of Representatives each voted to raise federal spending by roughly $200 million
- The average Senator voted for $471.0 billion in annual non-entitlement spending during the 108th Congress (2003-2004), an 83 percent increase over the 107th Congress (2001-2002). House Members supported, on average, a yearly expenditure boost of $386.9 billion – a 101 percent jump compared to the same period in the previous Congress.
-VoteTally totals were nearly identical for Democrats ($397.0 billion) and Republicans ($378.1 billion) in the House.
Both parties got us into this mess, they should work together to end it.
