John Boehner, October 7, 2006

If there’s one thing Washington does well, it’s spending other people’s money. Changing the culture there – a culture that says it’s okay to rob the federal treasury to pay for pet projects – is difficult. But three important measures passed this year that I think will go a long way towards ensuring Congress spends taxpayer dollars wisely.

Let me say that again: taxpayer dollars. The federal treasury is more than just a piggy bank for members of Congress to break open whenever they want. The federal treasury is YOUR money. It’s my money. It’s our neighbors’ money. There is no reason that workers in Middletown or Troy should be paying for “landscape beautification” along freeways in California. There is no reason for families in Celina or Oxford to send money to Washington for traffic lights in Massachusetts. And yet, this is what has happened for far too long. And some people think it should continue. I’m working to put a stop to it.

This year, the House passed three measures aimed at shining a light on Congressional spending. We have successfully reformed the practice of “earmarking” federal dollars, created a publicly accessible database tracking federal grants and contracts, and passed legislation giving the President line-item veto authority. The first two of these measures are already being implemented. The line-item veto was approved by the House; we’re now waiting for the Senate to act.

Earmarks – often referred to as “pork” that members insert in spending bills for specific projects – skirt the proper process for allocating federal dollars. Many of these requests wouldn’t stand up to public scrutiny if they were forced to go through the normal vetting process -- certainly, some are for good or worthy causes, but most wouldn’t pass the laugh test.

Over the years, billions of federal dollars have been spent on projects, sometimes at the urging of lobbyists, without any public record of who requested them, and frequently without debate. Our reforms change that.

No legislator, even one with the most noble of intentions, should have the power to anonymously spend millions of dollars in taxpayer money. That is why the House of Representatives will now require all bills that contain earmarks to be accompanied by a list identifying those earmarks and the names of those who requested them. The list would be publicly available for Congress, the media, and the general public to see. It sounds pretty simple, doesn’t it? It is.

By implementing reforms rooted in transparency and accountability, we will reduce the number of earmarks, ensure that federal dollars go to worthy projects only, and make a dramatic impact on how Congress spends your money.

Congress also passed, and the President signed into law, the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act, bipartisan legislation that will establish a public database to track federal grants and contracts. The principle, again, is simple: it’s your money. You should know how the government is spending it.

Some people like their political pork. I don’t. I don’t believe the federal government exists to rob Peter to pay Paul. That is why two of my goals have been to reform the way Congress spends taxpayer dollars, and to continue providing tax relief so that you hold on to more of your money. You pay enough to Ohio, Washington, and your local government. You don’t need to be paying for sidewalks or museums half-way across the country.

My office and I will continue to provide help navigating the federal bureaucracy so the Eighth District gets its share of the federal pie. And I will continue to work to make sure Congress is spending your money wisely.

Congressman John Boehner is the House Majority Leader. Boehner, a Republican, represents Ohio's Eighth Congressional District, which includes Miami, Butler, Preble, Darke, and Mercer Counties.