[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 28 (Wednesday, February 11, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E244-E245]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             EARMARK REFORM

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ADAM H. PUTNAM

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 11, 2009

  Mr. PUTNAM. Madam Speaker, on January 28, 2009, I introduced a 
resolution, H. Res. 100, to amend the Rules of the House of 
Representatives to provide for earmark reform. The bill that I 
introduced will not only promote accountability and transparency in 
Congress, but push its Members in a direction that better serves their 
constituents.
  All too frequently, Congressional spending requests are funding 
embarrassing and unworthy projects. This institution has lost 
credibility because earmarks fund ``monuments-to-me,'' bizarre private 
enterprises, or even projects to subsidize their family. This growing 
trend is unacceptable and, as guardians of taxpayer dollars, we owe it 
to the citizens of the United States to be good stewards of their 
money.
  Congressional spending requests deserve to be scrutinized and 
publicly debated, that is why I introduced this commonsense approach to 
reform the earmark process. This resolution will prohibit earmarks from 
being used for non-public entities, except for institutions of higher 
education. Likewise, this bill will prohibit any earmark for any entity 
named after an individual serving in Congress, which will eliminate 
controversial ``monuments-to-me.''

[[Page E245]]

  With regard to Congressional spending requests, proper disclosure of 
earmarks has come to the forefront of this debate. In an effort to 
encourage accountability and transparency, this bill will also require 
Members of the House to disclose earmark requests within 24 hours to 
the Clerk of the House of Representatives. The Clerk will then be 
tasked with publicly posting all earmark requests on the website 
designated for the Office of the Clerk in a uniform and searchable 
format.
  As a reflection of my own principles in government spending, I have 
also included a provision to require certification that non-federal 
recipients will provide matching funds of at least 10 percent of the 
earmark request. Recipients of federal funds are more likely to spend 
their federal financial support efficiently and effectively if they too 
have a vested interest in the final project.
  Lastly, H. Res. 100 will require that Members requesting earmarked 
funds certify that no family member is a beneficiary of the funding. 
This earmark reform measure will bring an end to deplorable family 
payouts.
  Earmark abuse not only wastes taxpayer money, but it also erodes the 
credibility of this legislative body. It is time for Congress to regain 
the trust of the American people and bring integrity back to Capitol 
Hill through substantive earmark reform.

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