On the recordNovember 30, 2010
I rise today to express my opposition to the Coburn amendment. The legislative branch has a constitutional duty to make modifications and adjustments to the budget for the Federal Government. As a U.S. Senator and a member of the Appropriations Committee, I take very seriously the responsibility of the Senate to help craft the annual Federal budget. Members of Congress have a duty to their constituents to preserve their role in working with the executive branch, whether Democratic or Republican, about how, where, and in what manner Federal dollars are spent. The U.S. Constitution gives the responsibility of spending and taxation to the Congress, not to unelected bureaucrats in the executive branch. The notion that individuals who are completely unaccountable to the American people will make spending decisions undermines the most basic principle of democracy. Instead, the Founding Fathers correctly put this burden on the shoulders of individuals who have to answer to voters at the ballot box. Over the last few months, and particularly in the days since the election, some Members of Congress and Members-elect have been tripping over themselves to take a stronger position in opposition to so-called earmarks. Proponents of this amendment claim that it targets earmarks. I would argue otherwise. This amendment strikes at the heart of the balance that our Founding Fathers established between the executive and legislative branches of our government.
