Show Crying For Attention on The last session of Congress came close to passing a law placing a firm ceiling on fiscal federal spend spend- ing Unfortunately the bill died amidst debate in the last hours before Congress adjourned The refusal to grant the President the authority to cut spending to stay under a billion limit clearly places the responsibility to control spending on members of the House louse and Senate Another section of this bill which did pass establishes a joint Congressional committee to study and recommend improvements it in Congressional spending procedures Such action is long overdue The committee could start by establishing Congressional overview of the total federal budget Its It's hard to believe but each year Congress acts on over a dozen separate appropriations without knowing knowing know know- ing or apparently caring about the t total level of spending and its tax implications It is to be hoped that the next Congress will show greater attention to the total effect of its spending actions |