Story originally printed in the La Crosse Tribune or online at www.lacrossetribune.com

 

Published - Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Kind, others in Congress call for earmark reform

By Tribune staff

U.S. Rep. Ron Kind, D-La Crosse, is one of several members of Congress calling for creation of a bipartisan commission to recommend reforms on Congressional spending for pet projects, commonly referred to as earmarks.

Kind — along with U.S. Reps. Tim Walz, D-Minn.; Jim Ramstad R-Minn.; Jim Cooper D-Tenn.; Melissa Bean, D-Ill.; Mark Udall, D-Colo.; and Wayne Gilchrest, R-Md. — on Tuesday introduced the Bipartisan Earmark Reform Commission Act of 2008.

“Abuse of the earmarking system has eroded the public’s trust in the process and overshadowed the worthy projects earmarks often fund,” said Kind, who has imposed a one-year moratorium on his own earmark requests while he works to reform the process.

“From a ‘Bridge to Nowhere’ to a rainforest in Iowa — any member of Congress, whether they are an advocate or foe of earmarks, needs to be accountable to the taxpayers for the staggering growth in earmark spending,” Kind said in a statement. The commission would examine:

  • Disparities in funding across communities and regions;

  • The practice of securing earmarks for for-profit companies;

  • The impact of earmarks on the federal budget; and

  • The usefulness and sufficiency of current disclosure requirements.

    “This is clearly a bipartisan problem perpetuated by both the Congress and the White House, and it requires a bipartisan solution,” Kind said. “This type of ‘ATM politics’ is threatening good government.”

     

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