New GOP Appropriation Chair Secretly Lobbied For Health Reform Money He Called ‘Socialistic’

After an internal struggle within the House Republican caucus, the GOP Steering Committee voted to select Rep. Hal Rogers (R-KY) as the new Chairman for the Appropriations Committee yesterday. Rogers campaigned for the position promising to carry out the wider Republican agenda of defunding popular progressive policies, particularly with a pledge to “stop” money from being spent on health reform. Despite a pledge to be a fiscally responsible chairman, Rogers has one of the worst records in Congress when it comes to reducing the deficit: he voted for both the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, trillions of dollars worth of Bush tax cuts, and is affectionately known as the “Pork King” for requesting nearly half a billion dollars worth of earmarks. However, earmarking and these votes are fairly common within the Republican caucus.

Full story: ThinkProgress » Exclusive: New GOP Appropriation Chair Secretly Lobbied For Health Reform Money He Called ‘Socialistic’