[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 174 (Friday, November 9, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2379]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT ACT OF 2007--VETO MESSAGE FROM THE 
                     PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

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                               speech of

                          HON. ANDER CRENSHAW

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 6, 2007

  Mr. CRENSHAW. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to question the new 
majority's earmark reform for the 110th Congress.
  On July 31, 2007, I supported and the House of Representatives passed 
S. 1, the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007, which 
provides for greater transparency in the legislative process. It is 
with great disappointment that I take this time to recognize the lack 
of this same transparency in the conference report for H.R. 1495, the 
Water Resources Development Act of 2007. This legislation authorizes 
Federal funding for local water and civil works projects that are 
extremely important to the State of Florida, and the Nation as a whole.
  At the start of the 110th Congress the new Democratic majority made 
repeated promises to the American public about their goals for this 
newly led Congress, ensuring ``accountability, honesty, and openness at 
all levels of government.'' It is now November and the unfortunate 
reality is that these promises are not being kept.
  In accordance with House Rules, I submitted a written request letter 
for the authorization of Federal funding for several local water and 
civil works projects in my district to the House Transportation and 
Infrastructure Committee. The intent of the new earmark disclosure 
rules was to make all earmark requests transparent and accessible to 
the American public. In addition, these new rules require the committee 
to ``identify, on a publicly accessible congressional Web site each 
congressionally directed spending request through lists, charts, or 
other similar means, including the name of each requesting Member or 
Senator.''
  In a recent review of the conference report for H.R. 1495, the Water 
Resources Development Act of 2007, it came to my attention that one of 
the projects authorized in the report, which I requested, Sec. 5158 
(125) the Jacksonville Septic Tank Replacement, did not include my name 
with it, as required. I do not bring this to your attention today 
seeking recognition for doing the job I was sent here to do. However, I 
do bring it to your attention to express my disappointment that the new 
earmark disclosure rules are not being followed properly.
  The American public deserves the accountability, honesty, and 
openness promised to them. Let's ensure that all of our bills conform 
to this standard.

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