Word: coburn
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Dates: during 2000-2009
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...measures, which covered the Health and Human Services Administration, Justice and Transportation departments, included a total of $66 billion in discretionary spending and $281 billion in mandatory spending. "This is stuff they want to do without debate and without a vote," DeMint said. To underline DeMint's point, Coburn pulled worn manila cards out of his breast pocket containing printed lists of bill titles and numbers. "There's 80-some that I'm holding," he said, waving them aloft...
...objections do not usually kill the bills, but they invariably launch negotiations with the bills' authors or the leadership on what can be done to appease DeMint's or Coburn's concerns; usually all they are asking for is a chance to debate and amend the bill - even if their amendments fail they still serve as a symbolic line in the sand. Increasingly, though, the group has started winning votes. Although the group's signature concern has been spending, their biggest victory was killing the immigration bill. They also held up the lobbying reform bill until much more stringent controls...
...Stevens, an Alaska Republican, was outraged that the attack came from his own party, and he is not alone. Along the way DeMint and Coburn have angered the leadership of both parties and a lot of Senators. Senator Trent Lott, the No. 2 Republican in the Senate, was so incensed at the role they played in killing the immigration bill that he revoked the $7,500 in funds they get from the leadership to help maintain their offices (the bulk of their funding, however, comes from fees that Senators pay to be members). While he recognizes what they're trying...
...Ultimately, DeMint and Coburn play an essential role, said Senator John McCain, once a bomb thrower himself. "I remember bomb throwing," McCain said with a quick grin. "It's vital, vital. We are losing the enthusiasm of our base because of our out-of-control spending." Phyllis Schlafly, head of the Eagle forum and one of the leaders of the conservative movement, agrees. "It's very important. They do a good job and we do think spending is out of control," Schlafly said. "The Republican base has not been happy with how the G.O.P. has handled control of Congress...
...While Coburn and DeMint might look at Bush, who has grown the government quicker than any President since Lydon Johnson, as a Johnny Come Lately, they welcome his pledges to veto this year's spending bills if the Democrats add a penny more than what he asked for in his budget. In fact, they would like to see more of Bush on this issue. "He should take on Congress," Coburn said. "There isn't oversight done on the vast majority of spending out there...