[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 19]
[House]
[Page 26945]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         MORATORIUM ON EARMARKS

  (Mr. FLAKE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. FLAKE. Mr. Speaker, earlier this year, new earmark reforms 
required that Members' names be attached to their earmarks. 
Unfortunately, transparency alone has done little but air our dirty 
laundry without cleaning it. Transparency is not a substitute for 
oversight. Earmarks have names next to them now, but little else has 
changed. The House has approved thousands and thousands and thousands 
of earmarks so far this year, and more are likely to be added in the 
conference committees. However, we know full well that not all of these 
earmarks were given the scrutiny that Federal expenditures deserve.
  Every week, I highlight an earmark by making an admittedly lame joke 
about it, but we need a process that inspires confidence, not jokes or 
humor. And, unfortunately, transparency alone has not gotten us there.
  Until this body has a process that can trusted, Mr. Speaker, I 
believe the taxpayers would be best served by a moratorium on earmarks, 
and I will soon introduce legislation to impose such a moratorium.

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