|
Friday, February 10, 2006
McCain Introduces Bill Against Earmarks
Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) introduced a bill yesterday -- called the "Pork Barrel Reduction Act" -- meant to crack down on the use of earmarks in appropriation bills and conference reports. The bill would allow senators to oppose earmarks by raising a point of order. Senate rules require 60 votes to waive a point of order, and if one is waived the earmark would stay in the bill or conference report. The bill is being co-sponsored by Sens. Russ Feingold (D-WI) and Evan Bayh (D-IN), and it would also:
- require conference reports to be filed and available publicly for at least 48 hours before being considered on the Senate floor;
- require disclosure of earmarks, including the identity of the lawmaker seeking the earmark and the earmark's "essential government purpose;"
- require recipients of earmark funding to disclose the amount of money they spent on registered lobbyists to obtain the earmark;
- prohibit federal agencies from spending money on items and earmarks that are included only in conference reports; and
- strengthen Senate rules against the inclusion in conference reports of matters not considered by either the House or Senate. Current Senate rules allow a point of order against reports with new matter but many items get through when they are attached to "must pass" bills that can overcome the point of order.
Posted by Becky Lewis
|