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Office Location

  • Office Locations

    Washington, D.C. Office
    409 C.H.O.B.
    Washington, D.C. 20515
    (202) 225-3864

    Round Rock District Office
    One Financial Centre
    1717 North IH 35
    Suite 303
    Round Rock, TX 78664
    (512) 246-1600

    Bell County Office
    6544B S. General Bruce Drive
    Temple, TX 76502
    Located next to the DPS office
    (254) 933-1392

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Transparency in Government

The American people want an open, honest government that isn’t spending your tax dollars on secret projects anonymously buried in lengthy legislation and hidden from the public.  The American people deserve transparency in spending, and that means transparency across the board.

Over the years the word “earmark” has received a bad wrap, and rightfully so.  We all remember the news reports concerning the “Bridge to Nowhere.”  While I do believe that earmarks are, and have been misused, in order to guide secret funds to frivolous projects and lobbyists, I also believe they can be used as a powerful and necessary tool for our district. 

Contrary to popular belief, an earmark is not extra funding tagged onto a bill at the last minute.  It is, in fact, directed spending of funds already being spent.  For example, in Central Texas, transportation dollars are critical to our growing population.  If I didn’t direct small portions of federal transportation dollars specifically to roads and highways in our region, smaller cities like Belton and Temple, Round Rock and Cedar Park would have to compete with larger cities such as Dallas, Houston and San Antonio for highway dollars.  Designating these funds at the federal level allows our smaller urban areas to obtain the necessary dollars to maintain and build better and safer roads and highways.

That is not to say that these “earmarks” haven’t been abused in Congress.  We have made great strides to reform the earmark process to prevent abuse by increasing transparency and accountability.  Hallmark reforms to House rules made it possible for all House members, for the first time ever, to challenge individual taxpayer-funded earmarks on the House floor.  Each member of Congress is forced to place their name next to their project.  In addition, Republicans changed House rules to allow legislators the ability to force a debate and vote on any earmark coming to the floor.  Although these reforms are necessary, they come and go as the Majority changes hands.  I strongly believe we need to make these reforms permanent and go even further to provide more sunshine to the American people.

I have a policy to never request anything that I wouldn’t be proud to see on the front page of any of our newspapers.  I believe if a member of Congress is willing to spend taxpayer dollars on a project, they have an obligation to stand by that project and explain its value and purpose.  I will continue to hold myself to these standards and work to bring Central Texans an open and honest government.

Click here for my press releases related to this issue.