Real Reform or Change for Chumps: Earmark Policy Developments, 2006-2010

摘要

In response to widespread perceptions of problemsassociated with congressional earmarks, reform effortsbegan in late 2006 and continued through 2010.This essay summarizes those problems, explains thedistribution of earmarks within Congress, and documentstheir rise and relative fall between 1991 and 2010 usinggovernment and public interest group databases. Theauthor explains and critiques earmark reform policies,including congressional rules, initiatives taken by thecongressional appropriations committees, and reformspursued by the George W. Bush and Barack Obamaadministrations. Congressional rules and committee initiatedreforms have been most effective, resulting insignificant improvements in earmark transparency andaccountability. The number and dollar value of earmarksfirst dropped noticeably in fiscal year 2007 after anearmark moratorium, and then stabilized as reformswere implemented. It is premature to conclude that theselevels will continue or that reforms will alter the policycontent of earmarks or their distribution among membersof Congress.