Providing For Earmarking Reform In The House Of Representatives
PROVIDING FOR EARMARKING REFORM IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES -- (Extensions of Remarks - September 20, 2006)
SPEECH OF HON. BETTY McCOLLUM OF MINNESOTA
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2006
* Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of real, comprehensive lobbying and earmark reform, and in opposition to H. Res. 1000. While Republican leaders claim that this legislation is earmark reform, major loopholes in their bill allow future boondoggles like the Alaskan Bridge to Nowhere to pass through Congress without full public scrutiny. Further, the bill abandons any lobbying reform to end the Republican culture of corruption--typified by the Jack Abramoff and Duke Cunningham scandals.
* The Republican majority has allowed these scandals and pet projects to run rampant, underscoring the dire need for comprehensive lobbying reform. According to the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service, since President Bush took office, federal spending on earmarks has more than doubled--from $33 billion in 2000 to $67 billion in 2006. Sadly, Republicans have failed to deliver on reform. On September 5th, a USA Today editorial said, ``Congress' answer to this ethics catastrophe has been a pair of competing measures in the House and Senate, which fall far short of what was promised in January but allow incumbents campaigning for re-election to claim they `voted for lobbying reform.' ''
* The reality is that H. Res. 1000 will not save one taxpayer dollar, will not remove a single earmark, and does not cover all earmarks. This sham reform bill is solely a symbolic effort to hide the fact that the Republican Majority has failed the Nation on fiscal matters.
* I join my Democratic colleagues in supporting a true, comprehensive lobbying reform bill that would ban travel on corporate jets, prohibit lobbyist gifts, slow the revolving door between Capitol Hill and K Street, shut down the K Street project in which jobs in lobbying firms were traded for legislative favors; shine the light on earmarks so that special interest provisions cannot be slipped into bills without public scrutiny, and put an end to some of the procedural abuses that have flourished in the Republican-controlled House.
* Democrats are fighting for these comprehensive reforms to ensure that Congress is held to the highest ethical standards. Corruption has come at great cost to the American people--from the cost of prescription drugs to the price at the pump.
* Mr. Speaker, my fellow Democrats and I are fighting for a new direction, because Americans want and deserve the real reform that restores accountability, honesty and openness in Washington.
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