Pelosi Letter to Boehner on Earmark Reform
Below is a text of the letter:
February 6, 2008
The Honorable John A. Boehner
House Republican Leader
H-204, The Capitol
Washington, D.C.20515
Dear Leader Boehner:
Thank you for your January 25 letter concerning earmarks. It affords me an opportunity to reiterate how aggressively Democrats reformed the earmark process upon assuming control of Congress last year by instituting new policies that subjected all earmarks to public disclosure and transparency rules and cutting the total amount of earmarks nearly in half in just one year.
We look forward to working with you on additional improvements to the earmark rules for Congress, and agree with you that the large number of Presidential earmarks deserve the same scrutiny and restraint. They have received, and will continue to receive, that review under the Democratic majority.
Democrats will continue to hold the line on earmarks in the House and require unprecedented disclosure from Members in both parties who seek earmarks, as well as from the Administration.
Transparency is a critical component of honesty in government, a principle embodied in the Honest Leadership-Open Government ethics and lobbying reform bill Congress enacted with bipartisan support last year. Democrats look forward to working with you and your colleagues to maintain confidence in our nation's finances.
best regards,
Nancy Pelosi
Speaker of the House