News

Setting his sights on curbing the number and cost of future earmarks in appropriations bills, President Bush signed on January 29th an executive order directing all federal agencies to ignore Congressional earmarks unless those earmarks are specifically written out in the text of the law. Historically, earmarks have not been contained in the actual legislation voted on by Congress but instead in the report language issued by the Congressional committees.

This order is prospective and will not affect earmarks in the recently enacted 2008 appropriations laws. However, it will apply to the final year of the Bush Administration and future administrations unless the order is rescinded.

In his State of the Union address the night before the executive order was signed, President Bush chastised Congress for not voluntarily reigning in earmarks stating, “Last year, I asked you to voluntarily cut the number and cost of earmarks in half. I also asked you to stop slipping earmarks into committee reports that never even come to a vote. Unfortunately, neither goal was met.” The President then threatened to veto any future appropriations bills that don’t reduce the number and cost of earmarks by half.

Click here to read the President’s comments at the signing of the executive order.