As word circulates on Capitol Hill that the Bush administration plans to limit a government database of earmarks — special allocations in the budget to congressional districts — it looks like Senate appropriators are soliciting them.
Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., the king of the anti-earmarks campaign, let his displeasure be known in letter he sent this morning to Sen. Robert C. Byrd, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Here are excerpts of the letter. Still awaiting response from Byrd.
“While I am encouraged by your pledge to ‘place a moratorium on all earmarks until a reformed process is in place,’” Coburn wrote. “I am very concerned that Senate Appropriations subcommittees are actively soliciting earmark requests even through a “reformed process is not in place.”
“The American public demanded greater transparency and accountability in earmarking, yet nothing has been done to shed more light on this process,” Coburn wrote.
“I am extremely disappointed and troubled by the fact that Senate Appropriations Subcommittees are soliciting earmarks but not complying with the basic requirements of Section 103 of S.1.”
” In the absence of final Senate enactment of meaningful earmark reform, the Senate Appropriations Committee has the ability to make earmark information public immediately.”
“The Committee’s failure to make earmark information public would make a mockery of recently passed earmark reforms and would suggest to taxpayers that the Senate wants to continue to earmark funds in secret.”
” In addition, pursuant to Section 103 of S.1, I believe that the Committee should immediately require all members who request earmarks to certify in writing that they have no financial interest in the requested earmark.”
” Following the imprisonment of a member of Congress for selling earmarks in exchange for bribes, the American public needs to know that its elected officials are not using public office for private gain.”
“While I am pleased by your announced moratorium on earmarks and encouraged by your willingness to tackle such a difficult problem, I am worried that many wish to avoid any new transparency requirements.”
Note that all of this is happening during Sunshine Week, the time of year when open government groups demand more accountability and transparency in government.
