Earmark Prohibition Amendment

This just came in over the transom. Looks like Rep. Flake has the right idea. Let's see if this makes it to the House floor for a vote.

Prevent Earmarks in a Competitive Grant Program
Support the Flake Amendment to H.R. 1338, The Paycheck Fairness Act
 
Dear Colleague:

Later today, I will be offering a commonsense amendment to H.R. 1338, The Paycheck Fairness Act.  In section five of the legislation, a new grant program is created to carry out programs to train girls and women in negotiating tactics.  My amendment would simply prohibit the earmarking of funds authorized by this bill for the grant program.  Earlier this year, a similar amendment was approved by the House of Representatives during consideration of the Beach Act of 2007 by a vote of 263 to 117 (Roll Call Vote #182, http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2008/roll182.xml).

The new grant program created in H.R. 1338 is explicitly authorized in the legislation to make grants on a competitive basis to eligible entities.  However, when it comes to earmarking, the message is clear: just because Congress hasn't earmarked an account or a grant program before doesn't mean we won't in the future.  My amendment makes no substantive change to the grant program included in the legislation and is simply offered as a safeguard against future earmarking.

With few opportunit[ies] this session to deal directly with the broken earmarking process, the least Members can do is explicitly prohibit earmarks in programs or accounts that are designed to provide funding on a formula or competitive basis.  I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense amendment.  For further information, please contact MacMillin Slobodien of my staff at x5-2635.
 
Sincerely,
 
Jeff Flake
Member of Congress