White House: Dems might need 12 steps for earmarks
By Ian Swanson | Posted 12/21/07 1:55 PM
December 21, 2007
http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/white-house-dems-might-need-12-steps-for-earmarks-2007-12-21.html
The Democratic Congress might need a “12-step group to deal” with its earmarks addiction, White House Press Secretary Tony Fratto said Friday, the second day in a row that the administration attacked pork in the omnibus spending bill Congress cleared this week.
Fratto made the quip in response to a question at Friday’s White House informal press conference, according to a transcript posted online. “They took the first step of admitting that they have a problem. I think one of the other steps is you have to make amends.”
<<snip>>
Fratto’s comments come one day after President Bush used a press conference to criticize Congress for approving hundreds of earmarks worth hundreds of millions of dollars in the omnibus. Bush has instructed Office of Management and Budget Director Jim Nussle to examine whether the administration can prevent the implementation of the spending projects.
<<snip>>
Fratto did not mention the earmark haul made by senior Republicans. Sen. Thad Cochran (Miss.), ranking Republican on the Senate Appropriations Committee, secured $774 million worth of earmarks in total. After Cochran, Sen. Ted Stevens (Alaska), the second-ranking Republican on Appropriations, scored more money for special projects than any other member of Congress: $502 million.
Rep. Bill Young (Fla.), the ranking Republican on the Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, was the second-biggest recipient of earmarked funds in the House, with $161 million.
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