Sen. Jim DeMint (R., S.C.) has rounded up half the 12-member freshman class of Senate Republicans to cosponsor his proposal to ban earmarks, including high-profile tea party allies Marco Rubio of Florida and Rand Paul of Kentucky.
Mr. DeMint, who wants a vote on the ban next week by the GOP conference, is trying to capitalize on the influx of new members who campaigned against earmarks, Congress’s much-criticized practice of channelling appropriations to favored projects outside the competitive federal funding process.
In announcing 10 cosponsors of the ban today, Mr. DeMint did not intend the list to be exhaustive, an aide said. But among the half of the freshman class who had not signed on: Gov. John Hoeven of North Dakota, the only newcomer who has already been promised a coveted seat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, where lawmakers are best positioned to get earmarks. During the campaign Mr. Hoeven called for more disclosure of earmarks, but said he thought they were not all bad.
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Mr. DeMint, who wants a vote on the ban next week by the GOP conference, is trying to capitalize on the influx of new members who campaigned against earmarks, Congress’s much-criticized practice of channelling appropriations to favored projects outside the competitive federal funding process.
In announcing 10 cosponsors of the ban today, Mr. DeMint did not intend the list to be exhaustive, an aide said. But among the half of the freshman class who had not signed on: Gov. John Hoeven of North Dakota, the only newcomer who has already been promised a coveted seat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, where lawmakers are best positioned to get earmarks. During the campaign Mr. Hoeven called for more disclosure of earmarks, but said he thought they were not all bad.
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We've heard all this before. They'll not ban earmarks or any other type of add ons to bills.
ReplyDeleteThey're afraid to! Less money from their true supporters, the lobbyists, wall street and the wealthy elite.
All the American people want all of them to do is THE JOB!
That means you stop the infighting and do the business for WE THE PEOPLE!