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Posted on 05/23/2019 10:23:29 AM PDT by jazusamo
Senate Republicans voted Thursday to adopt a permanent ban on earmarks, in a move that signals as long as the GOP controls the chamber the practice of pork-barrel spending won’t return.
A ban had been adopted every Congress since House Republicans imposed it after taking the majority in that chamber in 2011, but it needed to be renewed every two years.
Sen. Ben Sasse said it was time for the GOP to make the ban permanent.
“The last thing taxpayers need is for the same politicians who racked up a $22 trillion national debt to go on an earmark binge,” the Nebraska Republican said.
He won the vote in a closed-door meeting of Senate Republicans.
The vote was to adopt a rule of the GOP conference. It was approved on a 28-12 vote, signaling an overwhelming level of support for the ban.
And because Republicans hold the majority in the Senate, that rule controls the chamber — and therefore the entire Congress, since the Senate can reject any earmarks coming out of the House.
Earmarks are spending items slipped into bills directing money to a specific project or even company.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
Because Trump said a little while ago we needed to bring back earmarks.
Who wants to bet that this ban will be overturned if ( God forbid ), the Democrats take over the senate in future?
About damned time.
Agreed.
I remember John Murtha and the out of control corrupt dealings he instigated with the earmark.
Don’t want to see a repeat of that by either party.
“Who wants to bet that this ban will be overturned if ( God forbid ), the Democrats take over the senate in future?”
Don’t care right now. Fix the problem and we will worry about it in 14 years.
This is fantastic. I was put in charge of a Congressional office several years ago and the member I was working for stated firmly and clearly throughout his primary and general election campaigns how entirely opposed he was to earmarks. During my first year there I became a pariah among elected officials in this solid Republican district for making it clear that there would be no earmarks for everyone’s pet freeway off-ramps, and bridges and dams, and that these projects needed to go through the established, Constitutional appropriations process (with our willing assistance if necessary). It was a great job working for a true patriot and dedicated servant, but the endless sniping from every direction from local government hacks accustomed to sucking at the government teet, constantly having to defend myself to my boss from ridiculous attacks was just not worth it. So I take great pleasure in learning of the permanent end to this local government and lobbyist crack that has been bankrupting our country for far too long.
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I agree with that...
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