Washington D.C.- Congressman Jim Jordan (R-OH), a freshman member of the Republican Study Committee, today attempted to hold Democrats accountable to their campaign promises by offering a Motion to Recommit (MTR) in the House of Representatives. House Democrats again chose to put rhetoric above action.
“The first step in fiscal responsibility is being able to look taxpayers in the eye and say that money spent in their name is going toward its intended purposes, not to line the pockets of lobbyists,” said Congressman Jordan. “The gap between the Democrat Party’s rhetoric and action on lobbying reform grows wider every day.”
The MTR to the Regional Economic and Infrastructure Development Act of 2007, H.R. 3246, would have prevented any of the funds authorized by the bill from being used to “lobby or retain a lobbyist for the purpose of influencing a Federal, State, or local government entity or officer.” In addition, the MTR would have prohibited funds to “pay for expenses related to the membership of any individual or entity in an organization or association.”
“Despite promises by the Democrat majority to prohibit taxpayer funded payouts to special interests and lobbyists, they continue to go back on their word time and again,” said RSC Chairman Jeb Hensarling. “The Jordan MTR would have served as an insurance policy for accountable spending of taxpayer dollars. Sadly, Democrats sided with special interests over taxpayers and rejected it.”
The Republican Study Committee has worked to ensure that taxpayer dollars are spent responsibly and accountably, despite efforts by the Majority to massively increase spending. The Jordan MTR would have ensured that spending would not be used for two of the more wasteful and abusive spending practices in Washington.
“We must take steps to prioritize federal spending,” said RSC Chairman Jeb Hensarling. “The Jordan MTR would have ensured that taxpayer dollars are not wasted on inappropriate expenditures not intended by the bill. Congressman Jordan is a principled conservative and again sided with the American taxpayer.”
In March, Chairman James Oberstar (D-MN) accepted this MTR when it was offered to H.R. 569, the Water Quality Investment Act. It was approved by a vote of 425 to 0
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