Jeff Flake: “earlier this year, new earmark reforms required that Members' names be attached to their earmarks. Unfortunately…”

“earlier this year, new earmark reforms required that Members' names be attached to their earmarks. Unfortunately, transparency alone has done little but air our dirty laundry without cleaning it. Transparency is not a substitute for oversight. Earmarks have names next to them now, but little else has changed. The House has approved thousands and thousands and thousands of earmarks so far this year, and more are likely to be added in the conference committees. However, we know full well that not all of these earmarks were given the scrutiny that Federal expenditures deserve. Every week, I highlight an earmark by making an admittedly lame joke about it, but we need a process that inspires confidence, not jokes or humor. And, unfortunately, transparency alone has not gotten us there. Until this body has a process that can trusted, Mr. Speaker, I believe the taxpayers would be best served by a moratorium on earmarks, and I will soon introduce legislation to impose such a moratorium.”