Published: 02-12-08
Yesterday I was honored to address the 35th annual CPAC convention. I discussed several issues with CPAC members including the broken congressional earmark system. Below are some excerpts from my speech as prepared for delivery. I hope you will take a few moments to read this portion of my speech and contact me to let me know what you think about it.
I’d like to take a few minutes to speak to you about congressional earmarks – an important battle over their proper use is taking place in the Capitol as I speak to you today.
Earmarks are not a new concept. In fact the discussion about them has gone on since the birth of our republic. In 1796 not even 10 years after the Constitution was ratified Thomas Jefferson wrote to then Congressman James Madison about the problem with using federal tax dollars for local post roads:
“I view such funding as a source of boundless patronage to the executive jobbing to members of Congress and their friends and a bottomless abyss of public money. You will begin by only appropriating the surplus of the post office revenues; but the other revenues will soon be called into their aid and it will be a source of eternal scramble among the members who can get the most money wasted in their State; and they will always get most who are meanest.”
Let’s fast forward 200 years. In 1970 the defense appropriations bill had a dozen earmarks and by 1980 that number had crept to 62 earmarks. By 2005 the defense bill had 2671.
But for most Americans the practice of congressional earmarking as they know it today sadly represents a triumph of seniority over merit secrecy over transparency and the special interest over the national interest.
To the American people earmarks are the poster children of fiscal irresponsibility. They are the kissing cousin to unethical behavior. They are the all too frequent enabler of unlawful acts. Ladies and gentlemen the American people are right.
Hensarling Supports Moratorium on Earmarks
Yesterday members of Congress voted on legislation to address Washington’s broken earmark system. H.Con.Res. 263 would create a Joint Committee on Earmark Reform to conduct a full study of the earmark practices of the House Senate and Executive Branch. Upon completion of this study the Joint Committee would file a report of its findings and recommendations. Until the report is filed the House would put in place an immediate moratorium on the consideration of all earmarks. We reformers fell just a few votes short of winning this important vote.
Let us not forget that Speaker Pelosi promised reform and has not delivered. She promised transparency and has not delivered. She promised accountability and has not delivered. She promised to cut earmarks in half and has not delivered.
Unfortunately the current Democrat leadership did not choose to join us in our call for an immediate earmark moratorium and long-term earmark reform. I think this was a big missed opportunity and you can be sure I will continue to work to ensure that Washington spends your money responsibly.
