Senate moves bill increasing IRS, Dodd-Frank funding

{mosads}The committee rejected proposal from Sen. Mike Johanns (R-Neb.) to withhold IRS funding until the Treasury inspector general’s recommendations on IRS mismanagement are implemented. 

Democrats and Republicans unanimously agreed to language by Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) inserted into the bill saying the IRS cannot use its budget to violate First Amendment rights. 

In total, the bill contains $23.2 billion in discretionary spending, an increase from the $21.4 billion enacted in 2013 before automatic sequester cuts went into effect.

The bill increases funding for the implementation of the Dodd-Frank financial reform law. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) gets $110 million more, and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) gets $353 million.

A large part of the markup focused on ObamaCare.

Collins got less support for an amendment to stop the IRS from spending money on the ObamaCare employer mandate so long as full-time employment requiring health insurance remains defined at 30 hours of work per week. 

Democrats led by Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) argued that even though the Obama administration has delayed the mandate that employers with more than 50 workers provide insurance, the IRS still needs funds to prepare of the mandate in 2015.

The Collins amendment was defeated 14-16.

The committee also rejected an attempt by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) to delay both the employer and individual mandates under ObamaCare by a 14-16 vote.

Graham also failed to pass an amendment forbidding any taxpayer bailouts of bankrupt cities like Detroit.