Two days after President Joe Biden signed a slew of government spending legislation into law on March 9, Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene issued a press release outlining the financial amount she “secured” in the measures for projects in her area.
The release, however, forgot to disclose that Greene, a Republican, voted against the passage of the federal appropriations bills that will provide the money to her people.
Despite months of political fighting and continuing resolutions, congressional leaders on both sides of the aisle fought to get the package of six budget bills, known as a minibus, to Biden’s desk. To avoid a partial government shutdown, an extra slate of funding legislation must pass by March 22.
The $460 billion package contains financing for the following departments: Agriculture, Commerce, Justice, Veterans Affairs, Energy, Interior, Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development. The Food and Drug Administration, military construction projects, and a few other federal entities all received funding.
According to a press statement sent by Greene’s office on March 11, the packages included funds for seven projects in northwest Georgia, which the congresswoman had requested through the Community Project funds (CPF) process. The expenditure measures will result in around $9.3 million in federal cash being directed toward upgrading Greene’s district.
Greene’s office said in the release that the congresswoman was “proud to announce that she has successfully secured federal funding” after she “meticulously sought out projects that would improve quality of life, increase economic and social development, assist localities with vital funding needs, and harness community support.”
On March 6, 83 Republicans and two Democrats cast votes against the minibus. The bills passed the chamber with 339 votes divided between the two parties. Two days later, the Senate approved the deal by a vote of 75-22.
Greene told Newsweek after voting that there was “no reason to vote on a minibus” and blamed members of her party for supporting the proposals.
“The Republicans promised the American people no more omnibuses, minibuses, and CRs and well, here they did it,” she went on to say.
When approached for comment on Tuesday, Greene’s office referred Newsweek to a remark the representative made to X, formerly Twitter, after voting for the minibus, which she described as a “higher” number than what members had previously agreed upon.
“And this bill didn’t just increase spending, it gave Joe Biden and [Senate Majority Leader] Chuck Schumer everything they wanted on their wish list, and that is something I’ll always refuse to vote for,” Greene said in a statement.
Other Republicans who opposed the minibus later praised the funding that the measures will provide to their constituents, including Colorado Representative Lauren Boebert, who said in a press release on Monday that she “can’t wait for the ribbon cuttings” on the ten projects signed into law as part of the spending bill.