Omaha World-Herald - Earmark Freeze Gets Nebraska Reps' OK

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Nebraska's three House members, all Re­publicans who have secured earmarks in the past, embraced their party's one-year morato­rium on the spending practice Thursday.

House Republicans agreed to a moratorium in a closed-door meeting after leaders urged them to give up projects they called "a symbol of broken Washington."

The decision came a day after House Democratic leaders an­nounced a ban on earmarks to for-profit corporations. Both par­ties are trying to claim the ethical high ground on the issue during an election year when polls show voters concerned about rising federal spending and deficits.

Midlands House members, in­cluding Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, already were in compliance with the ban on corporate earmarks and request relatively few ear­marks compared to colleagues from other states.

Further restrictions on ear­marks, which lawmakers use in annual spending bills to direct that federal money be spent in a very specific way, are due, the Nebraska lawmakers said.

"Some approved congressio­nal earmarks have been indefen­sible, while others have circum­vented the rules or have been more appropriately the domain of the private sector or other di­visions of government," said Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, R-Neb. "While I believe lawmakers should have a role in directing funds to insti­tutions serving a high public pur­pose, it is time for Congress to step back and, for the good of the country, fix this flawed system."

Rep. Adrian Smith, R-Neb., of­fered similar thoughts: "The ear­mark process is broken, and until it is repaired, trust by the Ameri­can people in their government will not be restored."

Rep. Lee Terry, R-Neb., said: "It is time for the runaway spending and earmark abuse to end. This is an appropriate and sensible step to bring back ac­countability to Washington."

This report includes material from Bloomberg News.

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