[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 23]
[House]
[Pages 32182-32183]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      LET'S DO AWAY WITH EARMARKS

  (Mr. FLAKE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. FLAKE. Madam Speaker, I got a kick out of a recent warning made 
by the chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. He cautioned 
Members that if congressional negotiators were forced to make 
additional cuts in this year's spending bills, that he just might do 
away with all earmarks in the bill. Well, that may pass for a threat 
here in Washington, but taxpayers all over the country are applauding.
  Despite the perception that many in Congress seem to have that 
taxpayers are eagerly awaiting the completion of appropriation bills to 
see if their earmarks ended up in the bill for their hometown, 
taxpayers, whether they're Republicans or Democrats, are applauding. 
They think that earmarks are a waste of money.
  Chairman Obey has said on many occasions that if it were up to him, 
he would do away with earmarks altogether; they are a waste of his time 
and his committee's resources. I couldn't agree more. In fact, I can't 
think of a better Christmas present to Chairman Obey than releasing him 
from the stress and hassle of having to deal with our earmarks. I'm 
sure he would be grateful, and our constituents would be grateful even 
more.

[[Page 32183]]



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