A Good Day for the Merry Earmark Warriors

Rob Bluey / February 12, 2008

House Republicans scored a significant victory in their war on earmarks today when influential Democrat Rep. Henry Waxman, chairman of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, broke with party leaders to call for an immediate moratorium on earmarks in 2009 spending bills.

I think our best approach would be to suspend all earmarks for the 2009 appropriations cycle while we consider the right reforms for the earmark process. As a result, I will not submit any requests to the Appropriations Committee for this fiscal year. I look forward, however, to working with Chairman Obey, Speaker Pelosi, and all my colleagues on improving the earmark process.

Waxman’s statement is significant because he holds an important House committee post and is considered a trusted lieutenant of Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Although a couple Senate Democrats have vowed to give up earmarks, Waxman becomes the first Democrat in the House to make the pledge. The Club for Growth puts the number at 22 representatives and six senators who have sworn off earmarks. By party breakdown, it’s 25 Republicans and 3 Democrats.

Waxman’s announcement comes on the same day Republicans ratcheted up their messaging campaign against earmarks. House Minority Leader John Boehner launched a congressionally sanction website on earmark reform, featuring the latest news and information on pork-barrel spending. (more…)