Wamp Wants Washington on Pork Diet
November 16, 2007

WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp said Thursday that reports of questionable spending by some lawmakers have seriously damaged Congress' credibility and that a major overhaul of the appropriations process is in order.

"Outrageous abuses by a few and general abuses by quite a few are at risk of diminishing the constitutional perogatives and responsibilities of us all," said Wamp, R-Chattanooga.

Wamp is one of the lead sponsors of legislation that would place a moratorium on congressional "earmarks" until a special congressional committee can come up with ways to reform the process.

Lawmakers often use "earmarks" - more commonly known as "pork" - to secure federal funds for pet projects in their district without any public hearing or review. The projects are often inserted quietly into large spending bills, and most lawmakers may not even be aware that they are voting to fund them when they approve a particular bill.

Critics charge that earmarks can lead to scandal and out-of-control spending and cite the conviction of U.S. Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham and Alaska's "Bridge to Nowhere" as prime examples of what can happen.

Cunningham, R-Calif., was convicted in 2005 for accepting bribes from defense contractors in exchange for earmarks and other favors.

The "Bridge to Nowhere" caused a huge uproar when U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens and U.S. Rep. Don Young, both Alaska Republicans, secured more than $200 million to build the span between the town of Ketchikan and a nearby island that is home to just 50 people.

Abuses of the earmark process have so tarnished the reputation of the legislative branch that the system must be reformed to avoid further damage, said Wamp, a member of the House Appropriations Committee.

House Democrats took some steps to get earmark spending under control when they became the majority party earlier this year.

But Wamp and other Republicans said the changes made so far have been unable to stop earmark abuse or to convince the public that things have improved in Washington.

Another of the bill's sponsors, U.S. Rep. Jack Kingston, R-Ga., said earmark reform is a bipartisan problem that requires a bipartisan solution. Yet none of the 72 cosponsors of the legislation are Democrats, and Kingston acknowledged that he had not yet approached any Democrats about signing onto the bill.