Boehner Introduces Resolution to Restore GOP Earmark Reforms Gutted by House Democrats

Via email:

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman John Boehner (R-West Chester) and other House GOP leaders today introduced a resolution that would force the Democratic leadership in the House to restore Republican earmark reforms enacted last year. Democrats, led by Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey (D-WI), have gutted those earmark reforms this year, refusing to allow members to challenge potentially wasteful spending on the House floor and instead setting up multi-billion dollar slush funds for secret earmarks.

Boehner issued the following statement:

“Our resolution will restore the earmark reforms Republican put in place last year that have been unceremoniously gutted by House Democrats this year. The leaders of the current majority are seeking to avoid the real transparency and accountability we instituted last year. They've traded earmark transparency for earmark secrecy, and American taxpayers deserve better.

“The earmark process outlined yesterday by Mr. Obey is a sham. Democrats are keeping earmark requests secret until after the House has considered appropriations spending bills, preventing us from debating earmarks on the House floor and subjecting them to scrutiny. They want the House to approve massive slush funds for secret earmarks – billions of dollars for whatever Rep. Obey and his colleagues to spend as they see fit. This isn’t transparent. This isn’t accountable. It is outrageous, and Republicans are going to fight it on behalf of American taxpayers.

“If House Democrats are serious about keeping their promises, they will join us in restoring the reforms Republicans enacted last year which brought real accountability and real transparency to the People’s House.”

NOTE: The 2006 House Republican earmark reforms allowed House members, for the first time ever, to challenge individual taxpayer-funded earmarks on the House floor. In addition to requiring public disclosure of all earmarks and sponsors of earmarks contained in any bill, making the earmark process more open and transparent to taxpayers, the GOP earmark reforms changed House rules to allow legislators to force a debate and vote on any earmark contained in a bill coming to the House floor.

The Wisconsin State Journal wrote an editorial last week criticizing Rep. Obey for his decision, saying: “With this maneuver, Obey would enhance his own power but prevent the public and most lawmakers from questioning earmarks until it is too late.”