But some conservative groups aren’t on board.
11/15/2016 05:51 pm ETIgor Bobic
Associate Politics Editor, The Huffington Post
Arthur Delaney
Senior Reporter, The Huffington Post
Matt Fuller
Congressional Reporter, The Huffington Post
WASHINGTON ? House Republicans are expected to vote on whether to water down a key piece of former House Speaker John Boehner’s (R-Ohio) legacy ? the 2011 ban on earmarks.
The House Republican Conference on Wednesday will consider a narrowly tailored amendment that would allow lawmakers to direct funding to some federal agencies or state and local governments for a “federal purpose.”
The measure ? filed by Reps. John Culberson (Texas), Mike Rogers (Ala.) and Tom Rooney (Fla.) ? would not allow members of Congress to direct federal funding for recreational facilities, museums or parks. It would also require lawmakers proposing earmarks to be identified and their requests to originate in committee.
“This makes sure the entire process is out in the sunshine,” Culberson told HuffPost in a Tuesday interview. “It’s gotta go through the entire committee process. You’ve got to put your name on it and be proud of it. Don’t hide your light under a bushel basket.”
Earmarks are congressional spending items for specific local projects, including, infamously, a “Bridge to Nowhere” in Alaska that became a symbol of wasteful spending designed only to benefit its sponsor. Republicans banned earmarks in 2011 after taking control of Congress, but some government watchdog groups have judged the ban to be counterproductive ? and constitutionally questionable, since the Constitution specifically gives Congress the power to spend money. Proponents of lifting the ban say doing so would reduce gridlock and also serve as a check on the executive branch of government.
Read more
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/house-republicans-earmarks_us_582b7870e4b0aa8910bd5f3b
No comments:
Post a Comment