WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins issued the following statement after joining House Republicans to support an immediate moratorium on congressional earmark requests:
 
“When I ran for Congress, my message was simple – the wasteful, out-of-control spending was bankrupting our nation and the earmark process was in need of repair. That message resonated with Kansans, and they sent me to Washington to protect their hard-earned dollars. While I have followed my strict criteria, many of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle have not and the system remains badly broken. That is why I was proud to be one of 35 Members who signed Rep. Jeff Flake’s petition calling for a conference-wide one-year earmark moratorium.
 
“With a $1.6 trillion deficit facing our nation and with a Congress that has been on a year-long spending spree, it is time to stop the out-of-control federal government spending. My vote in conference for a moratorium on earmark requests was a critical step in restoring fiscal responsibility and discipline to Congress.
 
“Over the past year, Kansans and folks around the nation have stepped up to take back their government. I have heard their message, and I will continue fighting to protect Kansans’ hard-earned tax dollars and to ensure our children and grandchildren are not buried under an enormous mountain of this generation’s debt.”