Billy Long Votes for $100 Million in Federal Funding of Professional Sports Teams: NASCAR and Other Sponsorships

Billy Long voted to continue federal sponsorship of NASCAR.

I love NASCAR. My favorite driver, 2008 Daytona 500 winner Ryan Newman, drives the #39 US Army Chevrolet. While I want Newman to have good sponsorship to ensure his success on the track, I am concerned about the massive amount of debt the federal government continues to rack up, and when I see that #39 US Army Chervolet on the track along with Dale Earnhardt Jr's National Guard Car and other military sponsorships, that's money that could be cut out of the federal budget.

Last week, Representative Betty McCollum from Minnesota offer Republicans help to achieve their $100 billion in spending cuts. She sponsored Amendment 50 of HR, which would restrict funds made available by this Act from being used by the Department of Defense for sponsorship of NASCAR race cars. McCollum estimated the federal government has spent over $100 million in sponsorship of race cars and other sports teams like Lance Armstrong's US Postal Cycling team over the past decade.

The Army's sponsorship of Ryan Newman totals $7.4 million this year. AJ Allmendinger is sponsored by the US Air Force at at total of $1.6 million a year. Then there is JR. The National Guard spends $20 million a year to sponsor Dale Jr. This is a good chuck of money, and it shows that McCollum may be low on her estimate.

So as the Republicans struggled to come up with $100 billion in spending cuts, which Billy Long told his constituents "he got 'er done" they actually fell short by $39 billion. I guess we can blame Billy Long for part of this shortfall. After all, he voted against HR1 Amendment 50 to cut NASCAR sponsorships.

Now looking at the Constitution, I see where it is the federal government's job to provide for a common defense. I am not sure a common defense includes putting military logos on a stock car and other racing machines. Further more this continues to prove that Billy Long wasn't fed up with wasteful federal spending like he claimed to be. I love NASCAR, but this is another one of those times the federal government needs to tighten the belt. This was something Long promised, but apparently too many trips to Washington buffets has actually forced him to loosen his belt.