HOUSE Republican Leader John Boehner

Washington, Feb 4, 2008 -

House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) today issued the following statement regarding the decision by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and House Democrats to reject House Republican calls for an immediate moratorium on the congressional spending practice known as earmarking:

“House Republicans are deeply disappointed the Speaker and her Democratic colleagues have refused to join us in supporting an immediate moratorium on all earmarks. 

“Wasteful pork-barrel earmarks have become a symbol of a broken Washington.  Both parties are to blame.  As Speaker, Rep. Pelosi has the power to shut down the earmarking process in the House overnight.  Until the process is fixed, public confidence in our institution will remain at an all-time low. 

“House Republicans will use every means available to force votes on this issue until the earmark process is brought to an immediate halt.  American families are fed up with seeing their hard-earned tax dollars squandered by Washington politicians, particularly at a time when the middle-class is being squeezed by the rising cost of living.

“Washington is broken.  Fundamental change will only begin when the earmarks stop and both parties come together to identify ways to permanently change the way in which Washington spends taxpayers’ money.  House Republicans will challenge Congress to make this change.”

# # # # #