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Updated April 15, 2008 – 4:21 p.m.
Lawmakers Introduce Bipartisan Bill on Overhauling Earmarks Process
By Liriel Higa, CQ Staff
House Democratic leaders gave little indication Tuesday of what changes, if any, they plan to make to the earmark process this year. But that has not stopped members of both parties from pushing for commissions and committees to study the issue and propose changes.
The latest effort — a bipartisan one — was spearheaded by Rep. Ron Kind , D-Wis., and proposes an independent commission to study the earmarking process in both Congress and the executive branch.
The commission would be charged with examining disparities in funding, the practice of securing earmarks for for-profit companies, the impact of earmarks on the budget and the effectiveness of current disclosure requirements.
Among other things, the commission would consider whether earmarks could be allocated based on merit or if a competitive grant process could be used for grant funding, effectively altering the very definition of earmarks as they are now understood.
The commission would be required to report its findings and recommendations within six months, with legislation incorporating the recommendations to be introduced within two months thereafter.
Kind’s bill has four Democratic cosponsors: Jim Cooper of Tennessee, Melissa Bean of Illinois, Mark Udall of Colorado and Tim Walz of Minnesota.
Two Republicans, both of whom are leaving at the end of this Congress, also are cosponsors: Jim Ramstad of Minnesota and Wayne T. Gilchrest of Maryland.
In a conference call with reporters, Kind and Cooper stressed the bipartisan nature of their bill and their hopes that it will be taken seriously.
“Congress needs to stop and re-evaluate the way we appropriate money for projects around the country,” Cooper said. “We shouldn’t wait for another indictment to be handed down before demonstrating that we take stewardship of taxpayer money seriously.”
Their proposal is similar to one (
But that proposal, which has the backing of GOP leaders, also includes a moratorium on earmarks until the select committee reports its findings.
Leaving Out a Moratorium
Although both Kind and Cooper have voluntarily eschewed earmark requests this year, Kind said they did not propose a moratorium in order to improve the bill’s chance of passage. Including a mandatory moratorium, Kind said, “would have shut down the conversation.”
Lawmakers Introduce Bipartisan Bill on Overhauling Earmarks Process
Kind said they alerted Democratic leaders of their plans for the bill. “They’re feeling a little sensitive about this now . . . because of the reforms taken last year,” he said, referring to new earmark disclosure requirements adopted at the start of this Congress. He said Democratic leaders had made them no promises about embracing their bill.
House Republicans continue to debate the issue within their caucus. Minority Leader John A. Boehner , R-Ohio — who has said public disgust with earmarks contributed to Republicans losing their majority in the 2006 elections — urged colleagues to think again about what the party should do regarding earmarks.
“To those who believe the status quo on earmarks is fine, I challenge you: How can we sustain that position in the fall when our presidential nominee, John McCain , has vowed to veto any bill that contains earmarks?” Boehner asked. “To those who believe House Republicans should have a self-imposed earmark moratorium right now, I challenge you: How will we enforce it?”
Although the GOP has coalesced around the Kingston-Wolf-Wamp proposal and repeatedly called on Democrats to impose a moratorium, Democratic leaders have shown little inclination to do so.
Republicans have taken some piecemeal steps, with some individuals abstaining from earmarks this year and the party as a whole agreeing not to name projects after themselves.
“That gives us a good issue for the fall — but it doesn’t do anything to stop the problem,” Boehner said. “And frankly, it isn’t enough to restore our brand.”
Senate More Reserved
Senate Democratic leaders, like their House counterparts, appear to have no appetite for a drastic overhaul of the earmark process this year. And most Senate Republicans have taken a softer line than their House colleagues.
A GOP working group unveiled recommendations April 3 that included greater disclosure requirements and a requirement that any funds saved by eliminating earmarks be used for deficit reduction.
The reaction among other Senate Republicans has been generally positive. But the task force recommendations have not yet received much attention among Democrats.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid , D-Nev., said that his Republican counterpart, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, had given him a letter about the earmarks study April 10 or April 11. “I have it on my desk. I haven’t had a chance to look at it. But I’ll be happy to do that,” Reid said Tuesday.
First posted April 15, 2008 1:46 p.m.
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