Published: 04-04-08
Senate Republican Working Group Issues Recommendations to Strengthen Legislative Process
WASHINGTON—U.S. Sen. John Cornyn Vice-Chair of the Senate Republican Conference offered his endorsement today for new proposals from the Senate Republican Fiscal Reform Working Group aimed at strengthening transparency and accountability in federal spending.
“This much is clear -- Congress must become better stewards of taxpayer dollars. Taxpayers in Texas and across the country deserve to see for themselves exactly how and where their tax dollars are being spent by elected officials in Washington” Sen. Cornyn said today.
“Unfortunately the Democratic majority in Congress has not shown the resolve needed to reform this broken earmark system. That is why Senate Republicans have put forward common-sense proposals which would begin to provide the transparency and accountability that I believe taxpayers deserve. I hope my Democratic colleagues will closely review these important proposals and I look forward to seeing what action if any they decide to take moving forward.”
The working group was formed in January by Republican Leader Mitch McConnell in the wake of growing public concern over the earmark appropriations process and the failure of Senate Democrats to address it. In its report issued today the working group recommended provisions making it easier to strip inappropriate earmarks direct all savings of stripped earmarks to deficit reduction ensure all proposed earmarks are transparent and available for public review prior to a vote and increase congressional oversight of executive branch earmarks.
Specifically the working group has recommended the following:
DEBT REDUCTION
• Savings from stricken earmarks may be applied to the national debt rather than simply being spent elsewhere.
TRANSPARENCY
• All earmarks in appropriations authorization and tax bills must be placed in the bill text. This gives greater opportunity to challenge and strike airdropped earmarks.
• Members should make available on their websites information on successfully inserted earmarks. Also requested earmarks should be made public in a searchable format at least 48 hours before floor consideration on the relevant committee’s website.
• Senators must provide full justification for a requested earmark and whether the requesting Member Member’s family staff or staff’s family will benefit financially from the earmark.
OVERSIGHT
• Congress insists the Executive Branch provide full justification and review for requested earmarks.
• Executive Branch earmarks should be subject to the same scrutiny and guidelines as other earmarks and should be subject to amendment to strike.
