On behalf of the more than 1.2 million members and supporters of the Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW), we applaud you for adopting the earmark disclosure amendments to S. 1, the Legislative Transparency and Accountability Act of 2007, which were offered by Senator Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) and Majority Whip Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.).

        The DeMint Amendment requires:

• Disclosure of earmarks for federal projects;
• Disclosure of all earmarks contained in report language, which is where approximately 95 percent of earmarks are located; and
• Members seeking earmarks to provide written information to the committee of jurisdiction, which must be made available to the public on the Internet in a searchable database 48 hours prior to consideration.

The Durbin Amendment requires:

• Disclosure of earmarks contained in the reports that accompany bills and the statements that accompany conference reports.

Due to the importance placed on the issue by the taxpayers, earmark reform has rightfully become a priority in Washington.  While more needs to be done to disclose and reduce earmarks, CCAGW wishes to thank the Senate for unanimously approving these amendments.

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.