Washington, DC—Heritage Action for America today released a statement from executive director Jessica Anderson responding to the House Republican Conference’s vote on congressional earmarks:
Earmarks are a wasteful, swampy practice that no conservative should support. Using taxpayer dollars for pet projects and political favors in home districts incentivizes abuse and pork-barrel spending, and has no place in Congress.
In addition to being bad policy, earmarks are bad politics. They would help consolidate power in House leadership and make it harder for rank-and-file members to vote against bad policy. Earmarks also undermine state and local governments, taking power away from local leaders and giving it to powerful Washington politicians.
Earmarks are a hallmark of the swamp, and Tea Party conservatives were right to end the practice over a decade ago. Conservatives must push back against this corrupt practice.