Contact: Brian Baker
(202) 688-1880
[email protected]
February 1, 2011, Washington, D.C. — Brian Baker, President of the non-partisan Taxpayers Against Earmarks, released the following statement in reaction to the announcement that Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Daniel K. Inouye (D-Hawaii) will implement a moratorium on earmarks for the current session of Congress:
“We applaud Senator Inouye for standing with the President, the House of Representatives and the American people on the issue of earmarks. The ban in the Senate Appropriations Committee, coupled with the ban enacted earlier this year in the House of Representatives, effectively puts a stop to the harmful practice of earmarks for the next two years.
“What a difference a year makes! In January 2009, fewer than 50 Members opposed earmarks, but one year and one election later – because the American people spoke loud and clear – both the House and Senate have now banned earmarks.
“An earmark ban is only the first step to reigning in the massive federal debt, out-of-control federal spending and the broken budgeting process in Washington.
“We will be watching to make sure that our elected officials don’t break their promises to the American people.”
