Mary Fallin: “When I was a kid, we used to have a game we played called ``King of the Hill.'' And that would be when one person would…”

“When I was a kid, we used to have a game we played called ``King of the Hill.'' And that would be when one person would get on this hill and we would fight off others who would come and try to take control. This process reminds me of the game ``King of the Hill'', where one person is trying to play that. I just don't believe, Mr. Chairman, that that is the right thing to do. This is our opportunity in Congress to show that we mean business in controlling our spending, we mean business in reducing our deficit, we mean business in transparency and openness of earmarks. And we can't lose this opportunity, we can't take a step back. Mr. Chairman, I would just like to request that our appropriations chairman, who is a very capable and able man, delay consideration of this bill until we have proper transparency in the earmark process. It is a choice that the majority can make now, starting with this first appropriation bill. The majority is in control. And also, the appropriations chairman could come to the floor to this debate and assure this body and the Members that we will be able to see the individual earmarks and vote on them on this floor. This process will not allow us to do that the way it is now. And what better way to start off the appropriations process than to start with this bill, with transparency on the earmarks, transparency of funding? Let's fix it now, Mr. Chairman.”