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WALZ CONTINUES FIGHT TO INCREASE TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY IN EARMARKING PROCESS
Urges President Obama to apply strict standards to earmarks approved in 2010 bill to restore the public’s faith and ensure taxpayers’ money is spent wisely
For Immediate Release
April 9, 2009
Contact: Meredith Salsbery
507-388-2149
WASHINGTON D.C. — Today, Congressman Tim Walz sent a letter to President Obama, requesting increased transparency and accountability for earmarks in the final 2010 funding bills that are beginning to move through Congress. Walz urged the Obama Administration to apply the same strict oversight of the earmarks approved in the FY2010 appropriations process as is being done for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act with the recovery.gov web-site.
“The public needs confidence not just that the process for approving earmarks is sound, but also that the money is being wisely and prudently spent once it has been appropriated,” said Walz. “By establishing a website where the public can easily track how the money appropriated through earmarks for FY2010 is being used and by whom, the public will be able to hold both those who receive the funds and those responsible for appropriating them accountable. The heightened public scrutiny will in turn stem the impulse to irresponsible behavior in the first place and in the future. Such public transparency would serve, finally, of a good public test of how well the appropriations process works.”
Since being elected to Congress, Walz has been leading the fight to improve transparency and accountability in Washington. Walz has posted his requests online every year of his tenure in Congress. He supports the added scrutiny this year which requires all Members of Congress to publish earmark requests and dollar amounts requested on their website at the time the requests are submitted to the House Appropriations Committee.
The 2010 earmarks requested by Congressman Walz met at least one of these key criteria:
Transformative: has the potential to make a significant improvement in the economy of a community or drastically improve safety for residents.
Cost-Effective: uses limited funds efficiently and effectively in a way that drives local economic development.
Job Creators: creates, saves or attracts jobs in Minnesota’s 1st Congressional District.
He is also making public additional details about projects, including the requesting party, fiscal agent, and information supporting the necessity of the project.
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