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Monday, September 18, 2006
When the Rules Hit the Road, Will Feathers Fly?
As Congress nears its target adjournment date of Sept. 29, the odds of its passing more than a small handful of the outstanding FY 2007 spending bills are lengthening.
Congressional procrastination means that passage of a continuing budget resolution will be necessary to keep the government operating when the 2007 fiscal year begins on Oct. 1, followed by a (probably lame-duck) omnibus spending package comprising appropriations bills uncompleted before the end of the year. These conference reports and omnibus packages are notorious vehicles for feather-bedding earmarks.
But last week, the House adopted an internal earmarks disclosure rule, that ruffled the feathers of House Appropriations Committee Chair Jerry Lewis (R-CA) and his thirteen subcommittee “cardinals.”
The first clues about what effect the House disclosure rule will have on the practice of earmarking will come when appropriations conference reports reach the House floor before Oct. 1, or when an omnibus appropriations package comes under consideration thereafter.
When the rules hit the road, will the (cardinals') feathers start flying?
Posted by Dana Chasin
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