House reaches deal on earmark transparency
Last night, the Democratic and Republican leaders of the House struck a deal that will make earmarks part of appropriations bills, as opposed to measures added on in conference without any scrutiny. This should, we say should, add transparency to the budgeting process:
Hoyer and Obey confirmed the details on the House floor in response to members’ questions.
“It has been the intention of the Minority Leader, Majority Leader and myself to try and get the House moving on this bill tonight so we are not here until four in the morning,” Obey said. “There is an understanding that has been reached ... the intent that all of the bills by the time have an opportunity for earmarks to be attached to the bills.”
“Every earmark starting with Monday forward will be included in the bills,” Hoyer said.
Hoyer and Obey explained that due to the amount of earmarks and the complicated nature of the Energy and Water bill, it’s earmarks will be attached to a separate report that will be fully considered by the House. The bill will be sent to the Senate as one document.
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This will at least have some teeth.
Being able to SEE exactly who is trying to influence who, before anything else gets off the ground, is a HUGE part of holding Congress feet to the fire.
And if we can do that with earmarks, like get this bill with teeth passed into law, we must be able to do it with lobbyist groups who try to operate in secret.
We must be able to hold hearings, open and forced hearings, on places like AIPAC, The American Turkish Council, or the Saudi BTC Lobby.