Appropriations

Even if it doesn't pass the Senate, an earmark refusal by lawmakers will likely give more spending-priority power to the Obama administration.

The White House is warning a senior Republican appropriator that cutting unspent funds from the big 2009 stimulus law would hurt his state by halting solar and high-speed rail projects.

Canceling unspent stimulus funds is part of the House Republicans’ “Pledge to America” blueprint.

But a White House letter to Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-Calif.) – the top Republican on the Appropriations Committee – that Reuters obtained calls this a bad idea.

The Georgia Republican, fourth in line in seniority, is touting a conservative record and ability to work across party lines.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said Tuesday he's willing to schedule debate time and a vote this week on an earmark ban although he doesn't intend to support it. 

Sens. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) and Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) have teamed up to push for an earmark moratorium and, at the very least, get senators on the record. 

"I believe, personally, we have a constitutional obligation, a responsibility, to do congressionally directed spending," Reid told reporters Tuesday. "I do not feel comfortable turning that over to the people downtown."

Reid said if he can get cloture on any of the issues Democrats have slated for Wednesday, "I would be happy to work to set up a reasonable time to have a debate on that and have a vote on it."

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) announced Monday that he will join a GOP effort to ban congressional earmarks.

President Obama on Monday applauded Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) for backing an earmark ban while calling for the parties to work together to reduce the nation's deficit. 

"I welcome Sen. McConnell’s decision to join me and members of both parties who support cracking down on wasteful earmark spending, which we can’t afford during these tough economic times," Obama said in a statement. 

"But we can’t stop with earmarks as they represent only part of the problem," he said. "In the days and weeks to come, I look forward to working with Democrats and Republicans to not only end earmark spending, but to find other ways to bring down our deficits for our children."

Obama said he's called "for new limitations on earmarks and set new, higher standards of transparency and accountability."

Sen. Mike Johanns (R-Neb.) said Friday he will support a proposal to ban earmarks for two years. 

"The current earmark process is simply not open, transparent, or merit-based and I intend to support the proposed two-year ban on earmarks for Senate Republicans," Johanns said in a statement. "We must leave no doubt about our commitment to fiscal responsibility, which is why I have never requested earmarks."  

Republican Sen. Jim DeMint (S.C.) is leading the charge to ban earmarks and will propose a moratorium at the Republican Conference meeting next week.

Senator-elect Rand Paul (R-Ky.) pushed back Tuesday night on reports that he is no longer opposed to earmarks, adding that he would "advocate for Kentucky though the committee process within the context of a balanced budget." 

"I will not put earmarks on bills but I will advocate for things Kentucky needs through the committee process when we deliberate on what are the most important projects. But that's not earmarking and I won't do earmarking," Paul told CNN's Wolf Blizter tonight. 

That leaves Paul walking a very fine line on spending and earmarks. Although some earmarks are added to unrelated legislation, most are pushed through the appropriations committee, where Paul says he would "advocate" for Kentucky. 

Congressional leaders are insistent that they know where money is needed in their states and that they are in control of federal spending, not the executive branch. 

Budget hawk Rep. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) criticized Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Tuesday for opposing an earmark ban. 

"Looks like someone didn't get the message last week," Flake tweeted Tuesday. 

A longtime appropriator, McConnell has been forthright about his belief that Congress controls the purse strings and can decide where money is spent. He's also argued that eliminating earmarks won't save much money or provide the spending cuts needed to chip away at the burgeoning deficit.

"Every president would like for us to appropriate all the money and send it to them and let them spend it in any way they want to," McConnell said Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press." "The earmark issue is about discretion — about an argument between the executive branch and the legislative branch over how funds should be spent."

Flake is trying to land a spot on the House Appropriations Committee and has the backing of probable chairman, Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-Calif.).

Rep. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) got a nod Friday from the House Appropriations ranking Republican to join the panel. 

House Appropriations Committee ranking member Jerry Lewis (R-Calif.), who has voiced support for adding fiscally conservative members the panel, gave his support to Flake, a well-known budget hawk who has refused earmarks. 

"There are numerous talented and capable fiscally conservative Members and incoming freshmen who would make many valuable contributions to our committee," Lewis said Friday in a statement. "While these decisions will be made by the Steering Committee, I will encourage the addition of Republicans to the Appropriations Committee — including Congressman Flake — who are ready to roll up their sleeves and work with their colleagues to conduct critical and time-consuming oversight, and get down to the serious work of cutting government spending.”

Lewis, who is seeking to lead the committee but will need a waiver to do so, said the panel will "be ground-zero" in the fight to rein in government spending. 

"Our new Republican majority will meet these challenges head-on, will engage in aggressive budget oversight, and enact significant spending cuts across the entire federal government," he said.