Every fall, the American public readies for crisper weather, a new football season, and the probable threat of a government shutdown. As this shadow looms over us, the term “omnibus” gets bandied about as a potential solution.

What are these seemingly ominous omnibus bills? Why do they inspire criticism from both sides of the aisle, yet are still a very common way to pass legislation of all kinds? Three experts discuss these questions and more in FedSoc’s latest film, presented by the Article I Initiative, “Omnibus: Who Controls the Power of the Purse?”

Featuring:

• Frances Lee, Professor of Politics and Public Affairs, Princeton University
• David McIntosh, Congressman (1995-2001); President, Club for Growth
• Antony Davies, Professor of Economics, Duquesne University; Co-host, Words & Numbers Podcast

Related links and differing views:

Congress has long struggled to pass spending bills on time [Pew Research Center] https://www.pewresearch.org/short-rea…

A government shutdown isn’t inevitable – it’s a choice. And a dumb one. [USA Today] https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinio…

What’s in the FY 2023 Omnibus Bill [Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget] https://www.crfb.org/blogs/whats-fy-2…

8 Ways Massive Omnibus Spending Bill Is a Mistake [The Heritage Foundation] https://www.heritage.org/budget-and-s…

The Omnibus Spending Bill Is Symptomatic of a Broken Congress [Manhattan Institute] https://manhattan.institute/article/t…

Rand Paul knocks omnibus bill with ”Twas the Night Before Christmas’ rewrite [The Hill] https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/3…