Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Bosse Urges Hodes to Support Earmark Moratorium

(Hillsboro) Hillsboro Republican Grant Bosse today called on Congressman Paul Hodes to support a one year moratorium on Congressional earmarks in the federal budget. Senators Jim DeMint (R-SC) and John McCain (R-AZ) have introduced an amendment to the Senate Budget Resolution for Fiscal Year 2009 that would block all earmarks for one year, giving Congress time to reform the budget process.

"Congress needs to take a break from its addiction to earmarks," Bosse said. "This moratorium would allow the federal government to operate without the pork-barrel projects that have clogged the system and show that our real priorities don't need earmarks in order to receive federal funding."

Earmarks are special projects attached to federal legislation at the request of individual Congressmen, often at the eleventh hour with no public debate or oversight prior to a vote. Congressional leaders often use procedural hurdles to prevent these secret projects from being removed from spending bills.

"Senators DeMint and McCain have been leaders on this issue, even managing to convince Senators Obama and Clinton to co-sponsor their amendment, " Bosse concluded. "Surely Paul Hodes can support this moratorium as well, and kick his earmark habot for the next year."