Appropriations Requests

Earmark Moratorium

The American people don’t need an economist to tell them that reckless spending by liberal Democrats in Washington must stop. The nation’s $16 trillion debt is creating a drag on the economy and an enormous burden for future generations. The longer Congress puts off tough decisions about spending, the harder those decisions become.

Our decision to halt appropriations requests is a step in the right direction when it comes to reforming the way Congress spends the taxpayers’ money.  Certainly not all requests are “bridges to nowhere,” and many Members put forth quality requests vetted in a transparent process, but the waste and abuse of other earmarks have become symbols of why reform is needed and why trust in the system has broken down.

I want Congress to get serious about fiscal discipline and accountability. The people of the 19th District demand it.  Everyday families and small businesses across this nation make sacrifices and hard decisions about spending. The time is long past for Congress to do the same. House Republicans have taken the first steps in this process, and we hope our colleagues across the aisle will do the same.