Washington, D.C. – The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW) today cheered the passage of S. Amdt. 11 to the Legislative Transparency and Accountability Act of 2007 (S. 1), offered by Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.).  The amendment broadens the definition of “earmark” to include projects in report language and those for federal agencies.  Without the amendment, less than 5 percent of all earmarks would have be subject to the new disclosure rules. 

The Senate first rejected Majority Whip Sen. Dick Durbin’s (D-Ill.) motion to table, or kill, the amendment by a vote of 46-51, a significant defeat for the Senate Democratic Leadership.  Then, in an unprecedented move, unanimous consent to pass the amendment was blocked.  The Senate later returned to vote on passage of the amendment and ________. 

Sen. DeMint based his amendment on the House rules changes recently passed under Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).  Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) was reduced to criticizing and disparaging his House Democratic colleagues’ bill.  Sen. DeMint also noted the Democrats stalling the final vote with repeated quorum calls, comparing it to the strong-armed tactics Republicans in the House used to pass the prescription drugs bill in 2003 that Democrats criticized and pledged never to do.

Sen. DeMint’s amendment would enhance disclosure requirements for congressional earmarks, and limited tax and tariff benefits.  It will require disclosure of a targeted tax and trade benefit to ten or fewer individuals or entities, disclosure of earmarking for federal projects, and disclosure of all earmarks contained in report language.  It will also require that Members must provide written information to the committee of jurisdiction on agreed-to earmarks (in any measure or in a conference report), and that such information will be made available to the public on the Internet in a searchable format within 48 hours.  Approval of this amendment is critical to improving transparency and accountability for earmarks.

The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste is the lobbying arm of Citizens Against Government Waste, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in government.