Congressional Challengers Call for Earmark Reforms
By Jackie Kucinich
The Hill
May 18, 2006
As lawmakers, Republican Brian Bilbray and Democrat Nick Lampson felt pressure to bring home federal money to constituents, but recent controversy over earmarks and attempts at reform have forced them to rethink the matter as candidates.
Last year’s $286 billion transportation bill, which included some 6,000 earmarks, and an array of influence-peddling investigations have made reform contentious on Capitol Hill, and that in turn has forced candidates to say what they think about the age-old but widely decried practice.
Mike Malaise, a spokesman for Lampson, said the former Texas lawmaker used earmarks but believes that projects that are tacked onto legislation without going through the committee process should be eliminated.
“He feels the earmark system had some advantages in allowing members of Congress to advocate for specific needs within their district, but the policy is too often abused for the sake of lobbyist paybacks and unworthy projects that needlessly increase our deficits,” Malaise said.
Lampson is running to take over the seat being vacated by Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Texas), who was well-known for his ability to steer federal funds to his district.
Steve Danon, a spokesman for Bilbray, said the former California lawmaker has also changed his beliefs because of recent controversial abuses. He believes a more regulated and transparent approach has been made necessary because members try to insert projects into legislation before elections.
“Brian believes the budget process should be a two-year process — to make sure everything is extremely transparent,” Danon said.
Bilbray is running to replace Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham (R-Calif.), who is serving 100 months in prison for influence peddling and whose abuse of earmarks stoked debate on the practice.
Bilbray has faced criticism for his links to Cunningham associate Brent Wilkes, founder of defense contractor ADCS Inc., but has since donated campaign money he had received from Wilkes to charity, according to another Bilbray spokesman.
Mary Jo Kilroy (D), who will challenge Rep. Deborah Pryce (R-Ohio) in November, also indicated that the system needs reform.
“Earmarks can distort what we want to achieve,” Kilroy said during an open house with reporters last week. “Earmarks that do not serve our interest, earmarks for bridges to nowhere, don’t fit into a [responsible] framework,”
But she added that if an earmark is useful and is used to help constituents in the district it is an acceptable way to fund worthy projects.
The House narrowly passed a lobbying reform bill April 27 that includes several provisions dealing with earmarks, including one requiring members to label earmarks with their names. The House bill limits labeling requirements to appropriators, but House leaders have promised they will extend the rule to tax and authorizing legislation too.
The Senate has passed a bill with different language and reform measures, leaving conferees to hammer out the details.
Pryce, who chairs the House Republican Conference, applauded the passage of the House version of the lobbying reform bill in a release May 3.
“The bill will increase transparency in the legislative process while ensuring that Americans retain their important First Amendment right to petition the government,” she said.
California State Assemblyman Kevin McCarthy (R), who is vying for the seat of retiring Way and Means Committee Chairman Bill Thomas (R-Calif.), said he agrees that more transparency is need in the budget process.
Other candidates have chosen a harder line and say they will seek other ways to bring federal dollars in to their districts if they are elected.
Illinois Democratic House candidate Tammy Duckworth told reporters last week that she does not support earmarks and would work to have them banned should she be elected in November.
“My priority is to get rid of earmarks,” Duckworth said. “There are quite a few worthy projects. I just don’t like the process.”
She said that if her district needs a project she would allow it to go through the regular budgetary process rather than attach it to other legislation.
Duckworth is running to replace International Relations Committee Chairman Henry Hyde (R-Ill.), who is retiring.
A spokesman for Duckworth’s GOP opponent, Peter Roskam, did not respond to an attempt for comment.
Bilbray’s Democratic opponent, Francine Busby, has also called for heavy restrictions on earmarks.
“She has called for an elimination of all anonymous appropriations earmarks,” said spokesman Brennan Bilberry.
Chris Wakim (R), who is challenging Rep. Alan Mollohan (D-W.Va.), has expressed disgust for the current system.
“Earmarking takes place too often in a smoke-filled back room, with the beneficiaries being the congressman’s friends, campaign contributors and business partners instead of the taxpayers,” he said in an email, “Congress should seek the most efficient use of taxpayer money for federally funded programs.”
Mollohan has come under fire recently for the rapid appreciation of his real-estate holdings and for his use of congressional earmarks. His office did not return a call for comment.
Despite promises from candidates and their calls for reform, Keith Ashdown, from the congressional watchdog group Taxpayers for Common Sense, does not see the practice drastically changing even with a new crop of lawmakers.
“Even if the law passes — you are still going to have earmarks,” he predicted.
