WASHINGTON — The House Republican Conference (HRC) on Wednesday shot down an amendment proposed by Rep. Gary Palmer (R-AL6) that was designed to reign in deficit spending. If Palmer’s amendment to the House GOP conference’s rules had passed, bills with an estimated cost greater than $500 million would no longer be allowed to be considered while U.S. House rules are suspended, a parliamentary maneuver used to pass legislation quickly.
The House Republican Conference is the party caucus for Republicans in the House of Representatives, which holds meetings to facilitate the communication of the party’s message to its rank-and-file members. In a vote held via secret ballot, Palmer’s measure was defeated 93-102 by the lawmakers.
The HRC, which has historically claimed to promote fiscal conservatism, has recently considered several policies that run counter to efforts to balance the federal budget. On Tuesday, Yellowhammer reported that Alabama Rep. Mike Rogers (R-AL3) is currently working with several other Republicans to restore House rules that would revive earmarks going forward.
RELATED: Alabama Rep. Mike Rogers quietly pushing to bring ‘earmarking’ back to Congress
The Congressional Research Service defines earmarks as spending attached to “bills that apply to a very limited number of individuals or entities.” The practice was banned in 2010 when Republicans re-took control of the House, but now, the maneuver could come back from the dead.
Earmarks have long sparked outrage among many conservatives and taxpayer watchdog groups. Perhaps most famously, Rep. Don Young (R-AK) attached a $398 million earmark to a spending bill to build a bridge that would be have been used by a total of about 50 residents in his district. The backlash was so severe that “Bridge to Nowhere” became a household phrase.
But some people continue to believe that while earmarks have been abused in the past, they can be useful in helping to keep the gears of Congress turning.
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