Texas Congressman Organizes Colleagues in Floor Fight for Transparency, Accountability

Washington, DC, Jun 12, 2007 -

Congressman John Carter (R, Round Rock) today led the fight against House Leadership over wasteful spending and a secret Appropriations earmarks process. The House Democrats’ Appropriations bills up for vote in Congress this week all include a slush fund for billions in secret earmarks hidden from public scrutiny.

“Democrats are hiding wasteful spending from the American people, and it’s just not right” Congressman Carter said. “This is their attempt to protect wasteful and pork-barrel spending. By providing billions of dollars for ‘unspecified projects’, the Democrats basically create an enormous private slush fund with absolutely no accountability. It’s the Democrats’ slush fund, funded at taxpayer expense.”

Last year, House Republicans delivered earmark reform that brought greater transparency and accountability to federal spending and allowed members to debate and challenge wasteful earmarks on the House floor. House Democrats have gutted Republican reforms this year, making it harder for taxpayers to see how their hard-earned tax dollars are being spent by Washington politicians.

“We passed real, substantial earmark reform last year when Republicans were in control of the House,” continued Congressman Carter. “Our reforms required public disclosure of all earmarks and allowed lawmakers to challenge individual earmarks. Chairman Obey has now made this a one-man show. Speaker Pelosi just months ago pledged to ‘throw up the shades and pull back the curtains’ and ‘bring transparency and openness to the budget process and to the use of earmarks’, and now she’s pulling a fast one. It’s yet another broken promise.

“I am happy to do my part as a member of the Republican Leadership team by helping organize my colleagues to stand up to this abuse of power by the Democrats. From ethics reform to wasteful spending and fiscal responsibility to tax hikes to energy independence, Democrats have broken nearly every promise they made to the American people. The rest of the country needs to know about this.”