• Withholding Funds
    Nov 19, 2008  - According to some of the most recent reports, it is clear that Senator Ted Stevens has indeed lost his bid for reelection for Senate in Alaska (read article here). Yesterday, Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) and I wrote a letter to the Chairmen of the Appropriations Committees in both houses, asking that ... More
  • An Appetite for Earmarks
    Sep 18, 2008  - You would think that Senator Ted Steven’s (R-AK) legal battle would be the sole occupant of his time, but according to an article in The Hill yesterday, it seems that his insatiable appetite for earmarks hasn’t been abated one bit.  According to the article, Stevens has managed to garner mo... More
  • New Taxes for Energy that Won’t Produce
    Sep 16, 2008  - I am sure many of you have been paying attention to the debate (or lack thereof) on energy in Congress.  Well now the majority has decided to take up a bill after months of pleas from Republican members of the House.  However, this bill is designed to fail, and worse yet it increases spend... More
  • National Earmarks for Security
    Sep 12, 2008  - It’s no secret that this Congress has had a problem passing appropriations bills on time.  Last year, we resorted to passing a giant omnibus bill at the last minute, and this year we likely will recess until after the election by passing a continuing resolution (CR), to fund the government at i... More
  • Spending Addiction
    Aug 19, 2008  - According to a recently released report by Taxpayer’s for Common Sense (TCS), House members will receive $290 million more in earmarks this year, than in last.   This increase is also accompanied by an increase in approved projects, which will swell by about 200 this year.  These ... More
  • More Monuments to Me
    Aug 5, 2008  - Last week I blogged about the Flake/Campbell amendment to the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Bill, however there were other amendments that are worthy of mention. Congressman Michael McCaul (R-TX), offered an amendment that would prohibit the use of federal funds for a “M... More
  • The Flake/Campbell Amendment
    Aug 1, 2008  - Today, Jeff Flake and I offered an amendment to the FY2009 Military Construction/Veterans Affairs Appropriations Bill.  Our amendment would prohibit funding for the 103 congressionally requested earmarks found in the bill.  This amendment would also reduce the overall cost of the bill by t... More
  • Conservatives to Push for Earmark Moratorium - Roll Call
    Jul 30, 2008  - After months of pushing a bipartisan earmark moratorium, House Republicans might get a chance to vote for one today. With the first regular spending bill of the year on the floor — the military construction and Veterans Affairs appropriations bill — anti-earmark conservatives plan to offer an amen... More
  • Veteran’s Spending Bill Could Break the Appropriations Ice on House Floor - Congressional Quarterly Today
    Jul 30, 2008  - The House is expected as early as Wednesday to consider a record $118.7 billion spending measure to fund the Veterans lion spending measure to fund the Veterans Affairs Department and military construction projects in fiscal 2009. House action on the bill (HR 6599) indicates a symbolic thaw in the... More
  • Defenders of Economic Freedom
    Jul 24, 2008  - Today, I was honored by the Club for Growth with the Defender of Economic Freedom Award. 49 Members of the House and 6 Senators received the award as well. This award is granted to those members who demonstrate a strong commitment to economic freedom and free-market principals.  In order to re... More