Coloradans know that the way Washington spends money is broken.  And one part of that problem is Congress’s addiction to earmarks.  I’ve long pushed for reforms that would help rein in spending, such as a line-item veto authority, pay-as-you-go spending, and a reform of the earmark process.  When I first got to the U.S. Senate, I made the choice to not request earmarks for private for-profit and nonprofit entities in an effort to take the corrupting influence out of the process.  But further action is needed.

Last year, Congress spent roughly $16 billion on earmarks, according to government watchdogs.  While that’s a small part of the budget, we’ve become so focused on pet projects, that holding government accountable and being good stewards of the public dollar seem to be an afterthought.  In fact, lawmakers are so afraid of losing earmarked funding that they’re often pressured into supporting a vicious cycle of increased spending.  The only way we can reform the status quo is if everyone takes responsibility for the problem.  As a result, not only will I no longer request earmarks, I’m going to work to end the process so that Congress can focus on what Americans want most – a secure economic future.

After almost two years of watching the legislative process being ground to a halt - or being blocked altogether by a few members of the Senate - I introduced a reform proposal to change the Senate's rules and encourage bipartisan cooperation and reduce gridlock. I have a deep respect for the Senate, and I want to ensure that we protect the rights of Senators in the minority party, but I'm also frustrated that one Senator can use the rules to obstruct the people's business. I believe dysfunction in the Senate is a two-way street, but ultimately the American people are the ones who are hurt by these delays. The bill I introduced (S. Res. 662) was endorsed by Norman Ornstein, a noted conservative scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. My bill will streamline the Senate's operations and close technical loopholes that can be used to prevent Senators from having a substantive debate on legislation. I still believe in bridging the partisan divide whenever possible, and I believe that we can work together to improve our processes rather than increase the gridlock that is neither productive nor sustainable. My bill has six major provisions, which would:

• encourage members of both the majority and the minority parties to appear in person during a filibuster - my bill states that a filibuster could be overcome with a vote of 3/5 of the Senators present in the chamber at the time of the filibuster, rather than by 3/5 of Senators elected (or 60 votes);
• reduce the number of votes required to end debate on a single bill;
• shorten the time frame required to cut off debate;
• end the requirement that amendments be read in their entirety if they have been made available online 24 hours in advance;
• end the requirement that Senate committees seek the unanimous consent of the full Senate to meet; and
• provide a way to call up an amendment when a majority leader has taken steps to prevent the minority party from trying to amend a bill.

Coloradans expect their Senators to be able to work together despite partisan differences to do the people's business, yet too often, it seems, this body is held up by partisan rancor. One of the most egregious practices is known as "secret holds" whereby one unnamed Senator can hold up all action on a bill or a nominee without debate. I would never anonymously stop debate in the Senate, and I don't think anyone else should either, and that's why I'm working to eliminate the practice. This year, I cosponsored the bipartisan "Secret Holds Elimination Act," (S.RES.502), which will bring greater transparency to the Senate by requiring that holds be submitted in writing and made public within two days. I also co-sponsored a similar amendment (Amd. #3775) to the Wall Street Accountability Act. These efforts should eliminate anonymous obstruction of the legislative process by requiring more openness and accountability by Senators. This bill is an important step toward creating a more open and honest lawmaking process, which would require Senators to meet the high standards the American people expect of us.

On December 9, 2009, I co-sponsored the Bipartisan Task Force for Responsible Fiscal Action Act (S. 2853) with Senator Kent Conrad of North Dakota. This bill would create a bipartisan task force charged with studying the federal budget and recommending the politically difficult changes necessary to reduce the national debt. Congress would then have to consider the recommendations by an up-or-down vote. In January, this legislation fell just short of receiving the 60 votes required to pass it in the Senate. However, I have worked closely with the Obama Administration to create a bipartisan task force by executive order, which will produce similar recommendations for both Houses of Congress to approve.