It is sometimes necessary in matters of national security that government or portions of the government act in secret. But there are certain matters of government that should be open and transparent. One of those areas - with some national security exceptions - is how the government spends our money. To this end Senators Tom Coburn,( R-OK), and Barack Obama, {D-IL) introduced legislation that would create a searchable database of government spending.

The goal of the legislation is to shine a light on the practice of earmarks. Money that members of congress funnel to home state projects that are not debated or voted on by congress. this is not sensitive top-secret national security stuff. This is roads, bridges, museums, bike paths and other projects common referred to as Pork. In truth it is nothing more than government funded campaign spending.

So what happened to legislation that promised to make Pork public?

The measure had been unanimously passed in a voice vote last month by the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. It was on the fast track for floor action before Congress recessed Aug. 4 when someone put a hold on the measure.

Now the bill is in political limbo. Under Senate rules, unless the senator who placed the hold decides to lift it, the bill will not be brought up for a vote.

Now this points to two problems that need to be addressed. The Pork database legislation and the procedural maneuver if the "secret hold."

The first step is to identify the cowardly lion who placed the secret hold on the legislation and publicly humiliate him or her into allowing the legislation to come to a vote.

Posted by: Stephen Macklin at 06:42 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment

1 Sounds like a job for that investigative journalist Stephen Macklin. Wanna see if anyone will spill the beans?

Committee members:

Susan M. Collins, Chairman (R-ME)
Joseph I. Lieberman, Ranking Member (D-CT)
Ted Stevens (R-AK)
Carl Levin (D-MI)
George V. Voinovich (R-OH)
Daniel K. Akaka (D-HI)
Norm Coleman (R-MN)
Thomas R. Carper (D-DE)
Tom Coburn (R-OK)
Mark Dayton (D-MN)
Lincoln D. Chafee (R-RI)
Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Robert F. Bennett (R-UT)
Mark Pryor (D-AR)
Pete V. Domenici (R-NM)
John W. Warner (R-VA)

Posted by: Tuning Spork at August 24, 2006 03:00 PM (a3DAX)

2 That sounds like fun.

Coburn sponsored the bill - he might be PO'ed enough to talk!!

Posted by: Stephen Macklin at August 24, 2006 05:11 PM (DdRjH)

3 From what I've gathered on the 'net, the only person guaranteed to know the identity of the holder would be Collins. But if the holder is a Democrat then Leiberman would have been informed, as well.

The only other person who we're certain knows who it is is Bill Frist.

I'd be sure not to blast the hold itself, but just the fact that it's being done anonymously. @#$% cowardly scumbag...

Posted by: Tuning Spork at August 24, 2006 06:09 PM (a3DAX)

Hide Comments | Add Comment