Corker Cancels Earmarks, Alexander Defends His

Tennessee Senator Bob Corker is withdrawing his special funding requests for next year’s federal budget, saying the earmark process is in need of reform.

Lawmakers request earmarks in the budget for projects back home. Critics say those earmarks drive wasteful pork barrel spending. Having previously put in requests, Corker has since sent a letter to the Senate Appropriations Committee saying thanks but no thanks.

“I just did not want to participate this year. I am not criticizing anybody who does. It’s just… the process is incredibly flawed.”

Critics would like to see more transparency in the process. Senator Lamar Alexander sits on the Appropriations Committee and says earmarks fund important projects in Tennessee.

“If you have a couple of bad acts at the Grand Ole Opry, you don’t cancel the Opry, you cancel the act.”

Alexander says he’s open to more changes in the earmark process. His requests include $1-million for a Law Enforcement Innovation Center at the University of Tennessee and $3-million for the Tennessee Methamphetamine Task Force.

House Members Also Split on Earmarks

House Democrats recently enacted a ban on earmarks that benefit for-profit companies. House Republicans followed up with an earmark moratorium. Democrat Lincoln Davis says it’s all about politics.

“That’s what they were going to run on in 2008 until they realized that they grew the earmarks by 400 percent in the years they held the majority in Congress.”

Congressman John Tanner is requesting $4-million for the Tennessee National Guard Counterdrug Task Force. Bart Gordon wants $1.5 million for road improvements in Murfreesboro. And Davis is asking for $1.5 million for the Cumberland County Health Department building.

“I want to be certain that if I list an earmark, it’s for education, economic development or roads.”

Some lawmakers like Republican Marsha Blackburn and Democrat Jim Cooper had already sworn off earmarks before party leaders instituted the new changes.

Reported by Manuel Quinones from Capitol News Connection.