Fearing earmark creep, senators propose new ban
November 30th, 2011
05:31 PM ET
9 years ago

Fearing earmark creep, senators propose new ban

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Washington (CNN) - A year after Congress voluntarily agreed to give up earmarks - pork barrel spending projects critics say cost too much and may have an outsized influence on some lawmakers - the special-interest provisions have crept slowly back into legislation, two senators warned on Wednesday.

"There is an effort under way to go back to earmarking as usual, as it used to be," said Sen. Patrick Toomey, R-Pennsylvania. "I think that would be a disaster for our country and our congress and we intend to do our very best to prevent that."

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Filed under: Claire McCaskill • Congress • earmarks • Pat Toomey • Senate
soundoff (5 Responses)
  1. Namejkane

    Raise taxes on the rich. Every leading economist in the country knows that we have to raise revenue, except for the republican clowns in congress. Don't worry, after your all kicked out of office next Nov , we will raise them even higher. Who cares about the 1% , screw them. They haven't created any jobs sence Obama was elected. Times up!!!!

    November 30, 2011 05:44 pm at 5:44 pm |
  2. Rudy NYC

    Hey, Republicans. "Jobs. Jobs. Jobs."

    November 30, 2011 06:05 pm at 6:05 pm |
  3. The Greedy Old Pigs have declared class war on US!

    Here's a clue for you nutjobs on the right: Work on jobs. Then listen to the vast majority of Americans and raise taxes on the filthy rich.

    November 30, 2011 06:18 pm at 6:18 pm |
  4. gt

    DO IT ...sorry they wont .... to many democrats

    November 30, 2011 06:33 pm at 6:33 pm |
  5. Jean Sartre, Milwaukee, WI

    Almost every year or so we hear that congress is going to ban or completely stop Earmarks. And then they have a debate and rationalize it as a "good thing" and thus they continue adding more and more superfluous spending to each bill that moves through congress.

    The other side of this tale of woe is that they do create a bill to actually ban or stop Earmarks, however, they leave enough exceptions, loopholes and secret doors in the bill that it is totally meaningless.

    Finally, they smile, look the American public in the eye and tell us they just saved us money and they are doing a great job for us...

    November 30, 2011 07:10 pm at 7:10 pm |
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