Jeb Hensarling: “You know, it's interesting, we sit here and assume that a lot of people know what an earmark is and what pork barrel…”

“You know, it's interesting, we sit here and assume that a lot of people know what an earmark is and what pork barrel spending is. Probably the best way to define it is money that Congress takes out of their pocket to give to a specific entity that doesn't have to be competitively bid. It can go to one particular corporation. It can go to only one entity, and it doesn't go through any competitive bidding process whatsoever. As the gentleman said, well, some Members of Congress say I know my district the best, and I am supposed to bring the pork home. Well, the people in the Fifth District of Texas, they are not so interested in me bringing the bacon home, they want to make sure that Congress doesn't take it out of their smokehouse in the first place. As the gentleman ably points out, when somebody is getting something for nothing, there is somebody else who is getting something for nothing.”