Representative Grace F. Napolitano Representing the 38th District of California

For Immediate Release                                              Press contact: Jeremy Cogan, 202-225-5256
September 14, 2006                                                                           jeremy.cogan@mail.house.gov
     

Congresswoman Calls for Earmark Transparency,
Casting a Vote Against Incomplete Reform

   
   

(Washington D.C.)- Representative Grace F. Napolitano (D-Norwalk) today opposed a Republican proposal to alter House rules on earmarks that would do little to inform the public about the funding requests their representatives are making in Congress.  Instead, Napolitano urged her colleagues to support a Democratic plan that requires the U.S. House of Representatives to establish a website for disclosing all earmarks to the public.

“There is no reason why this information should be hidden from the general public.  We must pass true reform that totally opens the process of Congressional earmarks to public scrutiny – only then will the public be able to regain trust and know that their representatives are indeed working on behalf of their communities,” commented Napolitano, who earlier this year voluntarily released her full list of 2007 funding initiatives for the 38th District.

The Republican plan, H. Res. 1000, passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 245-171.

Napolitano is an original cosponsor of an alternative bill, H.Res. 1008, authored by Rep. Dennis Moore (D-Kansas), which offers significant advantages over the Republican bill passed today.  The Moore earmark reform bill would require Representatives to justify how each funding request is relevant to their district, and would mandate that Representatives disclose any financial interest they or the intended recipient might have in an earmark.  This bill also includes provisions that would guarantee sufficient time for public scrutiny of earmarks before they are voted on.

H.Res. 1000 does not make any significant changes to the earmarking process beyond requiring identification of the Representatives requesting each earmark.  It does not contain restrictions on earmarks and does not require identified earmarks in certain “manager’s amendments.”  The measure also lacks any requirement for information to be published online for public scrutiny.

Napolitano has been fighting along with her Democratic colleagues for comprehensive lobbying reform, and in February cosponsored the Honest Leadership & Open Government Act, H.R. 4682, a proposed lobbying reform bill would ban travel on corporate jets, prohibit lobbyist gifts, and put an end to some of the procedural abuses that have flourished in the Republican-controlled House.

“I am disappointed that we weren’t able to pass a more aggressive reform of the House rules on earmarks today, though I remain committed to supporting transparency, and will urge my colleagues to bring such measures forward soon,” concluded Napolitano. 

(###)

     
 

Home | Press List

 


Press Release            Press Release List            Press Release