Lankford Introduces Bill to Rescind Idle Transportation Earmarks

Press Release

Representative James Lankford (R-Okla), today introduced H.R. 4715, the Orphan Earmarks Act, to rescind and remove idle earmarks for Department of Transportation (DOT) projects, some of which were approved more than 20 years ago. An April 2014 Congressional Research Service (CRS) report, commissioned by Senator Tom Coburn, M.D. (R-Okla), indicated multiple projects have remained dormant and unused. Dr. Coburn and Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo) released similar transportation earmark legislation in the Senate earlier this week.

"Approximately $120 million of American taxpayer money sits in the Department of Transportation coffers after being appropriated years ago for a pet project that was never completed. Instead of sustaining communities and supporting the taxpayers who contributed the money, $120 million is abandoned on a federal balance sheet. I'm proud to join Dr. Coburn, as we work to clean up our federal books," said Lankford.

Like the bill introduced by Dr. Coburn in the Senate, Lankford's bill would void earmarked funds in DOT accounts with 90 percent or more of the original dollar amount left unobligated after ten fiscal years. The bill also requires DOT to submit a report each year detailing which projects were funded through earmarked dollars and which funds remain available for funding at the end of the fiscal year. Additionally, it provides flexibility to DOT to ensure projects slated to begin in the immediate future can still take place.

"Dollars for earmarks that have been orphaned for more than a decade are either unnecessary, or are dollars that could have been used to repair roads and our nation's 63,000 structurally deficient bridges. This common-sense proposal will force Congress to set real priorities and save taxpayers millions of dollars," Dr. Coburn said.

"We must go through every area of the federal budget to isolate waste and abandoned projects," continued Lankford. "The issue we fight today is that numerous DOT projects were never started, leaving the funds for those projects trapped in a federal account with no way for the American people to reclaim their unused tax dollars. This legislation gives Congress the ability to address the problem with an easy, common-sense solution.

"I look forward to full House consideration of this legislation, and I challenge Majority Leader Reid to allow the Senate to hold an up-or-down vote on this legislation," concluded Lankford.

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