Issue Position: Earmark Reform

Issue Position

Issue Position: Earmark Reform

On March 18, 2008 Sydney Hay joined Arizona Congressmen Jeff Flake and John Shadegg in calling for earmark reform by signing the same pledge both Flake and Shadegg have signed.

Witnessed by all of the listeners to the March 18, 2008 "Q and A" afternoon talk show on KQNA radio in Prescott, Arizona, Sydney Hay signed the Citizens Against Government Waste Earmark Reform Pledge.
This explanation is from the CAGW website:

"From 1995 to 2005, the number of appropriations earmarks grew nearly tenfold, from 1,439 to 13,997. It's no coincidence that the proliferation of earmarks has corresponded with the debasement of the budgetary process in Washington. As the examples of former Rep. Randy 'Duke' Cunningham (R-Calif.) and Jack Abramoff illustrate, lawmakers and lobbyists trade in earmarks as their 'currency of corruption.' If House and Senate leaders are truly committed to overseeing 'the most ethical Congress in history,' they should be making it easier, not more difficult, to follow the money trail."

"The ink was barely dry on the 'New Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007' when House and Senate leaders began looking for ways to circumvent or obstruct its earmark disclosure rules. CCAGW's Earmark Reform Pledge aims to commit candidates for Congress to providing taxpayers with greater transparency and accountability for earmarks."

By signing the pledge, candidates agree that they will adhere to 10 provisions, including:

*fully disclose all earmarked funding or targeted tax benefit requests on their congressional websites;
*not request any earmarked funding or targeted tax benefit provision that does not serve a federal interest and/or have a federal nexus;
*not request any earmarked funding or targeted tax benefit provision that would be directed toward a specific private entity that was not requested by an agency; and,
*support legislation that would end the linkage between campaign contributions and earmarks.

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