50 Votes To Force Earmark Action

Earmarks are the topic du jour for House Republicans. Party leaders will force their members to consider some drastic steps to reduce the number of pet projects Republicans request during their retreat later this week in the West Virgnia foothills. 

Now, a handful of outspoken conservatives are trying to make sure members don't just talk about the issue; instead, they're gathering signatures to force a vote on their proposal prohibiting any Republican from asking for an earmark in next year's spending bills, according to one of the members involved.

Reps. Jeff Flake of Arizona, Jeb Hensarling of Texas and Mike Pence of Indiana need 50 signatures to force a vote on the proposal, according to conference rules. A vote would require many members to pick a side in the fight over lawmaker-requested projects, forcing these Republicans to choose between popular political rhetoric and regional pork-barrel prerogatives.

House Minority Leader John A. Boehner (R-Ohio), who has lobbied his members to make drastic change, might welcome the suggestion, but forcing a vote could make the issue more divisive internally.

As one Republican appropriator said last week, It's easy to beat up on earmarks but harder to actually do something about it.