Congressman McCaul Urges Veto of Earmark- and Pork-Filled Budget

AUSTIN – Congressman Michael McCaul (R-TX 10) urged President Obama to veto the Omnibus bill that gained final passage in the Senate Tuesday night. The $410 billion Omnibus budget is supposed to fund the necessities of federal government for the remainder of FY’09, but it contains more than 8,500 earmarks, totaling $7.7 billion in irresponsible deficit spending.

"Maybe the Democrats who control this Congress haven’t felt the recession or heard the voices of Americans who are forced to tighten their belts and make sacrifices. But the people of my district have spoken loud and clear," said Rep. McCaul, who voted against the Omnibus bill in the House. "Projects like pig odor waste that are in this bill are the ultimate in pork spending. Especially now, we in Congress owe it to the American people to cut the fat and spend their tax dollars prudently."

The bill, H.R. 1105, will grow government spending at more than double the rate of inflation and almost triple the rate of median growth in household incomes. Among the earmarks in the bill:

· $1.8 million for swine odor waste research
· $21 million to put salmon into a river that has run dry for 70 years
· $1 million for red snapper research in Florida.
· $100,000 for the Seals as Sentinels program in Maine.
· $7.1 million for the recovery of Hawaiian sea turtle populations.
· $1.9 million for the Pleasure Beach Water Taxi Service Project in Connecticut.
· $950,000 for a National Council of La Raza loan fund for "community development activities."
· $1.4 million for grape research
· $1.049 million for cricket control

Congressman McCaul requested no earmarks in the Omnibus bill. He stopped requesting earmarks at the beginning of 2008 because the system is susceptible to waste, fraud and abuse. Rep. McCaul called the Democrats’ earmark ‘reform’ initiative, released Wednesday, "a day late and several billion dollars short". While it makes the process more transparent it does not ensure earmarks are granted by merit of the project instead of by a Member’s seniority or position.

"The system should be 100% transparent as to the sponsor and recipient and subject to an up or down vote in the House. Until that happens, I continue to ask my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join me and not take part in the system."