This morning lawmakers and citizens groups met in a park just west of the Russell Senate Office Building to hold a press conference/rally in support of Sen. Jim DeMint’s amendment to the FY 2009 Budget Resolution, which would impose a one-year earmark moratorium to provide time to reform the earmarking process. Co-sponsors of the Senate amendment include Senators Clinton, McCain, and Obama!

In attendance from the US House were Representatives Jeff Flake, Jeb Hensarling, Paul Broun, and John Shadegg. From the US Senate were Senators Jim DeMint and Tom Coburn. Also speaking was NTU’s President Duane Parde, Tom Schatz from Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW), Larry Hart from the American Conservative Union (ACU), and representatives of Americans For Tax Reform (ATR), Americans for Prosperity (AFP), and Taxpayers for Common Sense (TCS). At the conference, Grassfire presented Congress with over 107,000 petitions of citizens in support of the Earmark Moratorium. Grassfire stated that they are receiving the petitions at a rate of over 500 per hour!

Hopefully, this amendment will bring the major reform needed and stir Congress to close the “earmark factory.”

Click here to sign Grassfire’s petition!

Media Coverage:

• Click here for USA Today coverage of earmark moratorium rally and debate.
  
• Click here for The Hill article on the Democratic leadership split in the Senate over the proposed earmark moratorium.
  
• Click here for Roll Call article covering the press conference/rally. - Subscription required.
  
• Click here for Grassfire press release on the 107,670 petitions to end earmarks.
  
• Click here for NTU's press release on the moratorium rally.
  
• Click here for CAGW's Press Release on the Rally/Press Conference.
  
• Click here for Wall Street Journal article on Presidential candidates' support on moratorium.
  
• Click here for CQpolitics.com article on Presidential candidates' support.