A resolution expressing opposition to Congressional spending on earmarks.

Bill: 117-sres-688
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Scott, Rick [R-FL]
Introduced: 2022-06-22
Policy area: Congress
Latest action: action_date: 2022-06-22
text: Referred to the Committee on Appropriations. (text: CR S3079-3080)

Summaries:
action_date: 2022-06-22
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p>This resolution condemns the use of congressionally directed spending, community project funding, and other earmarks to direct federal funding. It also affirms the need to address inflation by curbing federal spending.</p>

tv_txt: III 117th CONGRESS 2d Session S. RES. 688 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES June 22, 2022 Mr. Scott of Florida submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Appropriations RESOLUTION Expressing opposition to Congressional spending on earmarks.

Whereas fiscal year 2022 marked the return of congressionally directed spending and community project funding , also known as earmarks , after a 12-year hiatus; Whereas the return of earmarks marks the return of lawmakers using their powers to circumvent the rules of the Senate in order to direct taxpayer dollars to wasteful projects; Whereas the 117th Congress has reinstituted and embraced the wasteful practice of earmarking, as shown by the more than 3,000 requests for earmarks in the House of Representatives and the more than 8,000 requests for earmarks in the Senate for fiscal year 2022; Whereas the reckless, 2,700 page, $1,500,000,000,000 omnibus spending bill (the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022; Public Law 117–103 ; 136 Stat. 49) enacted in March 2022 appropriated billions of dollars to earmarks, even though the United States is more than $30,000,000,000,000 in debt and experiencing the highest level of inflation for 40 years; Whereas the massive, omnibus spending bill includes funding for earmarks including, $2,500,000 to construct a museum annex in Vermont, $605,000 to construct a New York City greenhouse, and $3,000,000 to establish a Brooklyn gallery, in addition to earmark projects including bike trails in Vermont, derelict lobster pots in Connecticut, and a sidewalk for the road of a country club in Colorado; Whereas former Senator Tom Coburn condemned the use of earmarks as a “gateway drug to overspending”, and former Senator John McCain called earmarks “the gateway drug to corruption and overspending in Washington”; Whereas several former Members of Congress and lobbyists have been convicted of crimes related to earmarking; Whereas it is crucial that Congress spend taxpayer dollars wisely and with the best return on investment, especially during times of historic inflation and Federal debt levels; and Whereas Congress must stop this reckless Federal spending and corrupt political dealing, start paying down the debt of the United States, and get the United States back on track: Now, therefore, be it

That the Senate— (1) condemns the use of congressionally directed spending and community project funding , known as earmarks , to direct and appropriate taxpayer dollars in any form; (2) reaffirms the previous ban on the use of earmarks, and affirms to restore the ban permanently and immediately; and (3) affirms the need for Congress to reign in overspending to help curb the inflation crisis that is crippling the families of the United States.