But he and nearly all of his House Republican
colleagues say they are swearing off such “earmarks” this year to
demonstrate fiscal responsibility.
The change of heart has set up an election-year
argument over who is best serving their constituents — Republicans who
say lean times demand belt-tightening, or Democrats who continue to
seek special funding for local projects such as buying parkland in the
“This is an important step for reining in out-of-control government spending and changing the culture of
Democrats dispute that characterization and say earmarks serve a valuable purpose.
“During these tough economic times,” said Rep.
“Democrats shouldn’t shy away for one moment from their responsibility
and duty to improve schools, rebuild roads, retrain workers, provide
health care and invest in the people and communities in their
districts.”
Rep.
“As long as the earmark process remains in place,
Congresswoman Sanchez will fight tooth and nail for every federal
dollar she can bring back to
Republicans hope the earmark moratorium will play well with voters.
“Earmarks have become a dirty word to the American electorate,” said
trying to re-brand the term; they call it ‘congressionally directed
spending.’ Good luck with that.”
California Rep.
“I highly doubt the American people would prefer a local project be funded by dollars borrowed from
This division among the parties is a departure from
the past. Even in the most partisan times, Democratic and Republican
lawmakers aggressively worked to bring home the bacon to show
constituents they were getting back some of the money they send to
Congress this year included nearly
The practice of steering money to projects, often
sought by campaign contributors and lobbyists, has been controversial
because of scandals, including one that landed former California Rep.
“Pork-barrel spending” for projects such as
Democrats, who won control of Congress in 2006 after
highlighting earmark abuses under the Republicans, have opened the
process to greater public scrutiny and reduced earmarks from the record
15,000 costing
House Democrats recently banned earmarks to
profit-making companies — typically defense contractors. Then
Republicans, in a display of one-upmanship, announced their no-earmarks
policy.
Some local officials in Republican-held districts
say the House GOP’s no-earmarks policy could make tough times tougher
for some communities.
which represents local governments nationwide that pursue earmarks,
said the moratorium threatened to eliminate a vital funding stream for
local road, sewer and law enforcement projects.
In Lewis’ district,
as creating “some degree of unfairness that some parts of the state
would be receiving the funds and other parts wouldn’t, even though
there is a need throughout the state.”
“If there are, indeed, earmarks, the Republican Party should definitely be in there getting a share for their districts,” added
Among the sharpest critics of the House GOP’s policy
are Senate Republicans who say it would shift spending decisions to the
executive branch.
Two years ago, Lewis conceded as much in defending
earmarks. “If recommendations of members of Congress are ignored, the
spending would be left to the bureaucrats in each agency,” his
spokesman
But as lawmakers found it difficult to rein in
overall spending, Lewis was persuaded by Republican leadership to
support the earmark moratorium as a “forceful demonstration of the need
to cut spending,” Specht said recently.
At least three GOP House members are seeking earmarks for their districts in defiance of their party leadership. Rep.
And some Democrats have joined Republicans in forgoing earmarks.
The House GOP policy has set off a stampede to the offices of senators. One example: McKeon’s home base of
City Manager
With McKeon, the city’s first mayor, abiding by the earmark moratorium,
“It is too early to tell about the earmark ban’s impact on the city of
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