Corker withdraws all earmark requests

Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) announced today that he is withdrawing all his requested earmarks for the 2011 budget.

The Tennessee Republican said he could no longer participate in the earmarking process, which he described as "fundamentally flawed."

“I realize I am one junior senator in the minority, but given our country’s fiscal condition, I could not in good conscience keep my name next to any earmark requests this year,” Corker said in a statement.

“It is not necessarily the overall cost of federal earmarks, which represents a very small portion of the overall budget, that poses a problem; it’s the process, which is fundamentally flawed and lacks oversight."

Corker had requested about $330 million for various projects in his home state. Several of those projects were also requested by his fellow Tennessean Sen. Lamar Alexander (R).

Senate Republicans have debated, but not yet decided, to give up all their earmark requests. The House GOP has adopted a temporary moratorium.