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DeMint Thanks Democrats for “Cutting the Bull” and Admitting that Earmarks Not Needed
Obey Says Earmarks Cost Billions, Take Away From Nation’s Priorities |
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December 11, 2007 - Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Jim DeMint (R-South Carolina) welcomed reports that Democrats may abandon attempts to pass nearly 10,000 earmarks in a bloated omnibus spending package.
This year, Democrats attempted to pass spending bills $23 billion over the President’s requested levels. According to an Office of Management and Budget (OMB) analysis, Congressional earmarks account for over $24 billion of that spending.
Yesterday, U.S. House Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey (D-Wisconsin) admitted that earmarks take funds away from national priorities and have driven up annual federal spending by billions of dollars: “And if you take those bills down to the president's level, it is very hard for me to understand how earmarks can survive. It's not a threat. It's a reality. How in hell do you go down to the president's level and with a straight face recommend that you provide $9 billion in earmarks? I just don't think that is a realistic position. It's not a position I want to advocate… I just want to cut the bull gravy and get to the bottom line.” “I agree with Chairman Obey, its time to cut the bull and stop trying to pass thousands of wasteful earmarks that cost taxpayers billions of dollars,” said Senator DeMint. “It’s now clear to everyone that earmarks drive up annual spending and are only used as bargaining chips to try and force members to vote for bad bills. We can fund America’s priorities responsibly without wasting billions each year on pork projects for special interests.”
“Conservatives have fought a long battle against the earmark favor factory, and I hope Democrats will now back off of their demands for pork this Christmas.”
In Fiscal Year 2007, Congress passed only two appropriations bills (Defense and Homeland Security) that contained 2,658 earmarks. After conservative Republicans blocked the passage of a massive omnibus bill, the remaining federal spending was passed through a “continuing resolution” in March of this year that contained no new earmarks.
“There can be no backtracking; Democrats have admitted that earmarks are not necessary. If they put their pork back in now it will be a painfully obvious attempt to buy votes,” said Senator DeMint.
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