House Democrats Opt To Continue Building "Monuments To Me"

Press Release

For the third time in one week House Democrats have sent a clear message that they favor continuing the self-serving practice of using taxpayer dollars to fund projects named after sitting members of Congress. Wednesday night, Democrat leadership denied the House a vote on the latest amendment from Congressman Michael McCaul (R-TX 10) which would ban the practice.

"The question is not whether these projects are worthy of taxpayer dollars," said Rep. McCaul. "It's a problem of perception that these projects receive special treatment because of the names they bear. When the American people see this it feeds the belief that members of Congress are arrogant and out of touch with the people we represent."

Rep. McCaul's efforts to ban "Monuments to Me" have influenced spending habits in Washington. Most recently, Appropriations Chairman David Obey (D-WI) has been criticized by a senior Democrat for banning the spending practice in this year's appropriations bills. Obey said he would not fund earmarks named for members. McCaul's amendment goes further. It applies to all sources of funding, not just earmarks.

Last year an identical McCaul amendment became law. It banned the practice for all spending in the first quarter of FY'09 and for Veterans and Military Construction spending for all of FY'09. The amendment passed the House with more than 300 votes.

The Monument to Me spending practice is tied to projects funded through earmarks. Congressman McCaul, a former federal prosecutor, was among the first members to stop requesting earmarks in early 2008 because the system is too susceptible to waste, fraud and abuse. McCaul will not request earmarks until the system becomes more transparent and each earmark is allowed an up or down vote.

Rep. McCaul will continue his efforts to ban Monuments to Me throughout the FY'10 appropriations cycle.

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