Mike Lee Just Called Out the Appropriations Cartel – Time to Arm Every Committee

Summary: Senator Mike Lee exposes the Appropriations Cartel: one committee hoards spending power, sidelines experts, and fuels $38T debt with unread omnibus bills. His fix: decentralize funding to authorizing committees so real oversight kicks in and the purse strings get cut from the swamp's grip.

CIVICS - In a detailed thread on X (formerly Twitter), Utah Senator Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) highlighted flaws in how Congress handles spending bills, arguing that funneling all appropriations through a single committee in each chamber undermines efficiency, fairness, and oversight.

Posted on January 27, 2026, the thread responds to a viral post by @Oilfield_Rando pointing out that just two key senators—likely referencing Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins (R-ME) and Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA)—dominate the process of writing these massive bills.

Key Issues Raised by Senator Lee:

• Workload Imbalance: Lee explains that the federal government's enormous size makes it impractical for one committee to manage all spending decisions. This excludes most lawmakers, who often have deeper expertise in specific areas based on their other committee assignments.

• Policy Influence: Spending directly shapes policy across every government function, from defense to healthcare. Concentrating this power in one committee sidelines other elected representatives and weakens their ability to influence outcomes.

• Rushed Process and Lack of Input: Congress often pushes through bills under shutdown threats with little time for reading, debating, or amending. Lee notes this leads to lawmakers voting on unread legislation, eroding democratic accountability.

Lee uses a vivid analogy, comparing non-appropriations committees to "unarmed English bobbies" who can only issue warnings without real enforcement power over agencies they oversee.

Proposed Solution:

Senator Lee advocates for a simple rule change in both the House and Senate: Distribute spending authority to "authorizing committees" based on their expertise. For example:

• The Armed Services Committee would handle Pentagon funding.

• The Homeland Security Committee would oversee DHS budgets.

This reform, he argues, would enhance oversight, reduce debt (noting the U.S. has over $38 trillion in debt, growing by $2 trillion yearly), and involve more members in fiscal decisions. Lee dismisses concerns that this would lead to unchecked spending, pointing out the current system's failure to control deficits.

Why This Matters for Civics:

This thread underscores a core principle of representative government: the "power of the purse" enshrined in Article I of the Constitution. By centralizing appropriations, Congress has drifted from the Founders' intent for broad legislative involvement. Lee's call echoes ongoing debates about reforming "earmarks" and "omnibus" bills, promoting greater transparency and citizen influence through engaged lawmakers.

Citizens can amplify this by contacting their representatives to support such reforms or following groups advocating for fiscal responsibility. ​

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