[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 20]
[House]
[Page 27459]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                           EARMARK MORATORIUM

  (Mr. FLAKE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. FLAKE. Mr. Speaker, I introduced legislation last week with the 
gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Moran) that would put a moratorium on 
earmarks until we have a process in place where we can fully vet all 
earmarks. Earlier this year, the chairman of the House Appropriations 
Committee said it was simply impossible, that we don't have the 
resources to investigate every earmark request. I agree. However, 
rather than approving thousands of earmarks, anyway, the prudent course 
would be to take a break and reevaluate the system.
  Without the resources to vet over 11,000 earmarks in the House and 
Senate this year, bad earmarks are sure to slip through the cracks. Not 
only do these earmarks bring embarrassment to Members, they bring shame 
to the institution. Our constituents expect better of us. They should 
get it.
  Mr. Speaker, the House has traditionally had a process of 
authorization, appropriation and oversight, a process that we have 
abandoned in recent years. Until we can get back to that system, we 
need to take a break from earmarks.

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