Fallin Calls For Spending Openness
Congresswoman Mary Fallin, R-5th District, today called for more openness and transparency on Congressional spending and criticized the Democrat leadership for refusing to disclose individual spending projects on appropriations bills. Fallin's remarks came after Democratic leaders announced that individual "earmarks" for pet projects would not be disclosed until August, after the House had already voted on spending bills.
Under reforms passed in 109th Congress, members were able to see individual earmarks and challenge them before a vote. Under the Democrats' new plan, however, members have essentially been shut out of the earmark process, Fallin said. Instead, the Appropriations Chairmen would have virtually sole discretion over which earmarks are included in the final spending bill.
"Voters in Oklahoma have been very clear - they are sick of out-of-control spending and backroom deals," Fallin said. "I came to the nation's Capitol to restore fiscal sanity and to make sure that Congressional earmarks are subject to public scrutiny.
"I am extremely disappointed in the direction that the Democrat leadership has taken this Congress. Rather than cut spending, they have proposed billions more in funding than the President has requested for federal agencies. Rather than bringing us more openness and accountability, they have embraced a policy of secrecy surrounding earmarks and government spending. And rather than opening the process up to debate and transparency, they have willingly cut the vast majority of Congressmen and women out of the legislative process.
"Many Members of Congress have touted the merits of spending reform, but it appears that their actions do not match their rhetoric. It seems painfully obvious that lawmakers cannot be serious about fiscal responsibility if they authorize spending for projects that they are unaware of. And it seems equally self-evident that the democratic process does not benefit when the Appropriations Chairmen has sole discretion on what earmarks Congress will or will not spend money on. I encourage my colleagues to put a stop to this and to support a policy of transparency and disclosure on all spending bills and to pursue genuine earmark reform."
Under reforms passed in 109th Congress, members were able to see individual earmarks and challenge them before a vote. Under the Democrats' new plan, however, members have essentially been shut out of the earmark process, Fallin said. Instead, the Appropriations Chairmen would have virtually sole discretion over which earmarks are included in the final spending bill.
"Voters in Oklahoma have been very clear - they are sick of out-of-control spending and backroom deals," Fallin said. "I came to the nation's Capitol to restore fiscal sanity and to make sure that Congressional earmarks are subject to public scrutiny.
"I am extremely disappointed in the direction that the Democrat leadership has taken this Congress. Rather than cut spending, they have proposed billions more in funding than the President has requested for federal agencies. Rather than bringing us more openness and accountability, they have embraced a policy of secrecy surrounding earmarks and government spending. And rather than opening the process up to debate and transparency, they have willingly cut the vast majority of Congressmen and women out of the legislative process.
"Many Members of Congress have touted the merits of spending reform, but it appears that their actions do not match their rhetoric. It seems painfully obvious that lawmakers cannot be serious about fiscal responsibility if they authorize spending for projects that they are unaware of. And it seems equally self-evident that the democratic process does not benefit when the Appropriations Chairmen has sole discretion on what earmarks Congress will or will not spend money on. I encourage my colleagues to put a stop to this and to support a policy of transparency and disclosure on all spending bills and to pursue genuine earmark reform."
Labels: Earmarks, Mary Fallin
posted by Mike McCarville @ 5:09 PM
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