Share

Earmark Disclosure

Earmark Moratorium - U.S. House of Representatives

Under the watch of both political parties, Congress grew addicted to the practice of pork-barrel spending. Taxpayers were rightfully angered to learn of their hard-earned tax dollars squandered on the infamous Bridge to Nowhere in Alaska and the Rain Forest Museum in Iowa. More troubling than these egregious examples of waste is the corruptibility of the process. Earmarks aren’t inherently problematic, but when former members of Congress are in jail for selling earmarks, there’s something seriously wrong with the process. In the 111th Congress, House Republicans established a self-imposed ban on the practice of pork-barrel spending through the broken earmark process.  At the start of the 112th Congress, House Republicans expanded the earmark moratorium for the entire House.  This moratorium remains in place for the 114th Congress.