Democrat Earmark Rules Take Keys From Gingrey's Earmark Reform Act

Press Release

House Democrats have announced new earmark rules for the 111th Congress which borrow many facets from Congressman Phil Gingrey's Earmark Reform Act -- H.R. 3738, introduced in the last Congress. Gingrey's bill, which had nearly fifty co-sponsors in the 110th Congress would increase transparency in the earmark process while cutting the overall amount of taxpayer dollars allocated in half. While the new reforms contain some of the provisions from H.R. 3738, he feels that the reforms do not go far enough.

"I think that these new earmark rules are a step in the right direction, but I'm concerned that they still fall short of the reforms this process desperately needs," said Gingrey. "If Members think that this new proposal sounds good, I would love for the House of Representatives to consider my earmark bill which goes even further to create transparency and restore fiscal responsibility to the earmark process."

In addition to cutting the overall amount of money allocated to earmarks by 50% and limiting overall earmark spending to less than 1% of annual spending, Congressman Gingrey's bill would allocate earmark funding equally between every Member of Congress. This takes into account that national priorities do not solely exist in the districts of a few powerful Members of Congress. For Members who choose not to make Appropriations requests - or choose not to request their full allotment - that amount would actually be returned to the Treasury to help reduce the Federal deficit and lessen the burden on the taxpayer.

"These new rules could also benefit from the addition of provisions already adopted by House Republicans banning airdropped earmarks as well as "Monuments to me," Gingrey concluded.

Source