Capito Announces FY 2008 Earmark Requests

Press Release

Capito Announces FY 2008 Earmark Requests

In her continued effort to bring more transparency and accountability to government spending, Rep. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) today released a list containing her earmark requests for Fiscal Year 2008.

"Operating our government in a more open and transparent way is a goal worthy of every member of Congress," Capito said. "I am not anti-earmark, nor do I believe the word 'earmark' should be a dirty word. I do believe, however, that the earmarking process should be done in the most transparent way possible in order to allow taxpayers to hold their government accountable."

Rep. Capito, serving on the Rules Committee last year, worked closely with congressional leaders to implement earmark reforms that required public disclosure of all earmark requests on appropriations bills and allowed debate and a vote on any earmark request.

This year, under pressure from Rep. Capito and other pro-earmark reform colleagues, House Democrats decided to restore last year's Republican earmark reforms after initially establishing a policy that made the earmarking practice more secretive and provided the public less information.

Rep. Capito concluded, "I hope my colleagues join me in providing this information in order to give taxpayers a more open look at this process."

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