U.S. Sen.Lamar Alexander , R-Tenn., said today he reversed his previous support for congressional earmarks because such designated spending by individual members of Congress “became a symbol of wasteful spending.”
“The American people sent a strong message in November that cleaning up earmarks is a part of the whole job of getting control of wasteful spending and controlling the debt and I think we need to listen to the American people,” Alexander said.
During a conference call with Tennessee reporters, Alexander cautioned against thinking the end of earmarks will save much money. In fiscal 2010, earmarks comprised less than $20 billion, or under one-half percent of the federal budget.
Alexander, who was re-elected this week as chairman of the Senate Republican Caucus, made 44 earmark requests in fiscal 2010. Earlier this year, he defended earmarks as part of constitutional role of the Congress to appropriate money.
For complete details, see tomorrow’s Times Free Press.