Hutchison lauds earmark recommendations but hides her own requests

Publication: Austin American-Statesman

Jason Embry
April 4, 2008

U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, yesterday hailed a series of recommendations from a group of Republicans working to reform the earmarking process. Earmarks are tucked into large spending bills and direct federal agencies to spend money on specific projects in specific locations, and critics say the process allows members of Congress to quietly steer tax dollars to their contributors or favorite lobbyists.

The Fiscal Reform Working Group came out with a series of recommendations to make the earmark process more open.

They say, for example, that earmarks should be put into the text of a bill, instead of into the last-minute conference reports issued after the House and Senate compromise on final language. They also say earmarks that have been inserted into bills should be made public at least 48 hours before senators vote on them, and call for greater transparency for earmarks that come from the White House.

In a press release claiming she "continues advocating for greater transparency," Hutchison lauded the recommendations.

"With these provisions, we could reduce the federal deficit by striking unnecessary earmarks, increase transparency by requiring all earmarks be placed in bill text and made available online, and require senators and the administration to be equally accountable for all earmarks," she said.

Yet Hutchison has gone to greater lengths than any other Austin-area member of the House or Senate to conceal the earmarks she is seeking. The American-Statesman recently asked those lawmakers for the earmarks they are requesting in the upcoming year. Three House members provided them and the fourth, Michael McCaul, isn't requesting any. Senators haven't had to request theirs yet, but Sen. John Cornyn said he will release his requests once they are turned in to the Appropriations Committee. Hutchison, who according to her spokesman, is planning to run for governor, said she will not release hers.

While that position has been criticized by groups such as the Sunlight Foundation and the Heritage Foundation, it is consistent with the Republican recommendations, which say that only the earmark requests that lawmakers successfully insert into bills should be publicly disclosed.