Washington, D.C. – The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW) today encouraged the House of Representatives to approve several amendments to be proposed by Rep. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) to the Department of Defense Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2007 (H.R. 5631). 

If passed, Rep. Flake’s amendments will remove several earmarks from the bill, including:  $20,000,000 for the Leonard Wood Research Institute in Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri; $2,500,000 for the Northwest Manufacturing Initiative; and $1,000,000 for the Institute for Exploration at Mystic Aquarium in New London, Connecticut. 

Since May 24, Rep. Flake has unsuccessfully proposed 26 anti-earmark amendments, including 12 amendments to the Transportation-Treasury-Housing and Urban Development (TTHUD) appropriations bill last week.  House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Henry Bonilla (R-Tex.) called Rep. Flake’s efforts to eliminate earmarks “insanity,” questioning “what his brain is all about” and implied that he should “wise up” and “work on something else.”   

The Sun Gazette reported that Rep. Jim Moran (D-Va.) said at a dinner on June 9: “When I become [a House Appropriations subcommittee] chairman, I’m going to earmark the s--- out of it.”

“Taxpayers, we have a problem,” CCAGW President Tom Schatz said.  “When appropriators have free reign to earmark the federal budget, the result is corruption and waste.  By challenging egregious special interest spending, Rep. Flake is taking a principled stand that will benefit every American.  The rest of the House needs to rise above the intimidation and support the Flake amendments.”

All votes on H.R. 5631 will be among those considered for CCAGW’s 2006 Congressional Ratings.

The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste is the lobbying arm of Citizens Against Government Waste, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in government.