McCaul Passes Amendment to Prevent Funding of Self-Serving Aviation Projects

AUSTIN – Continuing his efforts to prevent wasteful spending of taxpayer money, the U.S. House overwhelming passed (417-2) Congressman Michael McCaul’s (R-TX 10) amendment banning federal funding of future aviation projects named after members of Congress.

The amendment is aimed at glaring examples of taxpayer dollars spent on self-serving projects bearing a member’s name on the marquis – bridges to nowhere, Congressman John Murtha’s airport that few people use and a center for public policy among them.

“Whether these are wise uses of taxpayer dollars is not the question. The problem is one of perception that these projects receive special treatment. This perception feeds the belief that members of Congress are arrogant and out of touch with the American people we represent,” Rep. McCaul said.

Rep. McCaul’s amendment was attached to the Federal Aviation Administration’s funding reauthorization bill, which passed the House Thursday. It is similar to his “No Monument to Me” bill re-introduced in January, and previous efforts that have succeeded to end this self-serving practice.

An amendment authored by Congressman McCaul that became law last year prohibited the practice for all government spending through March 2009. It continues to apply to Veterans Affairs and military construction projects for the rest of FY’09. Rep. McCaul’s goal is to ban the practice on all government spending. He plans to introduce similar pieces of legislation later in the appropriations process.