Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) is fighting Democratic efforts to direct more federal money to local development projects by pushing to eliminate a jobs program that he’s praised and benefited from in the past.
Created under the Johnson administration, the Economic Development Administration, an agency in the Commerce Department, uses its small budget to help fund local initiatives around the country. Democrats to increase its operating budget to $500 million a year.
That’s driven DeMint to the warpath. On Wednesday, he called EDA a “wasteful stimulus slush fund that must end,” and yesterday introduced separate legislation that would eliminate it altogether. But his antipathy to the program is relatively newfound.
Until recently, DeMint was happy to support EDA projects, so long as they benefitted his state.
The abrupt about face is reminiscent of his 180 on RomneyCare, but in this instance the stakes are much lower.
For its part, the Obama administration isn’t doing Reid any favors. Though the White House supports directing more funds to the EDA, it dinged Reid for asking for too much.
“[T]he bill would authorize spending levels higher than those requested by the President’s Budget, and the Administration believes that the need for smart investments that help America win the future must be balanced with the need to control spending and reduce the deficit,” reads a Statement of Administration Policy released Tuesday evening.
Brian Beutler
Brian Beutler is TPM's senior congressional reporter. Since 2009, he's led coverage of health care reform, Wall Street reform, taxes, the GOP budget, the government shutdown fight, and the debt limit fight. He can be reached at brian@talkingpointsmemo.com.
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