Congresswoman Betty McCollum’s amendment to the 2014 Department of Defense budget was defeated today by a 289-134 margin.
The Minnesota democrat’s bill would have prohibited the Army National Guard from spending $53.5 million to sponsor NASCAR, Indy Car racing World Wrestling Entertainment events in 2014. McCollum called the program “a waste of taxpayer funds,” saying the Guard has been unable to provide any data demonstrating that this recruitment program resulted in actual enlistments.
Not unexpectedly, McCollum reacted angrily to the bipartisan vote, saying, “This is a Congress that has its priorities seriously wrong. I am watching Republicans and Democrats coming together to slash government spending by kicking poor children off the school lunch program and denying low-income seniors access to food. Then these same folks turn around and protect a $53 million taxpayer handout to NASCAR and pro-wrestling. It just shows the American people the extent to which Congress is addicted to spending that directly benefits special interests like NASCAR.”
