House Passes Congressman McCaul Amendment to End"Monuments to Me"

AUSTIN – The U.S. House overwhelmingly passed an amendment by Congressman Michael McCaul (R-TX 10) that would end the practice of using taxpayers’ money to fund projects named after current Members.

"The American people are outraged by the waste and abuse they see in Congressional earmarks. One of the most egregious of these practices is Members using taxpayer money to name the projects after themselves," said Congressman McCaul. "My amendment is very simple. It prohibits federal funds from being used for any project named after a sitting Member of Congress."

Perhaps the most controversial is Rep. Charles Rangel’s (D-NY) earmark for $1.9 million to help jump-start the "Charles B. Rangel Center for Public Service" at the City College of New York, dubbed the "Monument to Me". It is thought that projects in Congress bearing a sitting Member’s name are more likely to receive government funding regardless of their legitimacy.

Congressman McCaul’s legislation would specifically prohibit naming Veterans Affairs or military construction projects after sitting Members. It has been well received by congressional watchdog groups that fight against wasteful spending in Washington and has been endorsed by National Taxpayers Union and Americans for Prosperity.

"Going back more than 200 years, there's never been a shortage of vanity in Washington, but that doesn't mean that taxpayers should fund it," said Ed Frank, Vice President of Public Affairs for Americans for Prosperity, when the legislation was first filed. "Congressman McCaul's legislation may not make him the most popular guy on Capitol Hill, but it certainly makes him a friend of the taxpayer, which is far more important."

The bill containing Congressman McCaul’s amendment still needs Senate or Conference Committee approval before it goes to the President.