Five House Republicans Ask Colleagues To Give Up Earmarks

Five House Republicans, representing various segments of the party, asked their GOP colleagues Friday not to submit earmark requests this year.

The group includes a top conservative (Republican Study Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling of Texas), an appropriator (Illinois Rep. Mark Kirk), a member of the elected leadership (Chief Deputy Whip Eric Cantor of Virginia) and one of the remaining moderate Republicans in the House (Illinois Rep. Judy Biggert). California Rep. Devin Nunes rounds out the group.

These five lawmakers would like their GOP colleagues to join them by voluntarily forgoing any earmarks this year. But since few expect Congress to finish its spending bills — or President Bush to sign them into law if they include these member-requested projects — this might not be the sacrifice it looks like.

However, Republicans, desperate to regain the fiscal credibility they squandered in the majority, continue to beat the drum in an attempt to pressure their Democratic counterparts.

"Tragically, almost every public opinion survey shows that today the Democrats poll higher than we do on the issues of fiscal responsibility," the Republicans wrote. "Unless and until we reverse these numbers, we cannot regain our majority and thus our ability to control spending.

"As our former Speaker Newt Gingrich has said, 'Real change requires real change,'" the lawmakers continued. "Nothing says real change like adopting a conference-wide moratorium on earmarks for the 110th Congress."

A trio of Republicans on the Appropriations Committee — Georgia Rep. Jack Kingston, Tennessee Rep. Zach Wamp and Virginia Rep. Frank Wolf — have introduced a plan that calls for a comprehensive six-month study of the process for requesting this projects. During that time, the lawmakers call on their colleagues not to submit any requests.

Earlier this week, a pair of Colorado House members — Republican Marilyn Musgrave and Democrat Mark Udall — also pledged not to request an earmark this year until lawmakers know more about how members abused this system in the past.