Congresswoman Jackie Speier

By Shaun Bishop 

Media News

FOSTER CITY — Barely two minutes into a meeting with local government officials Friday, Rep. Jackie Speier wanted to make clear her thoughts on pork-barrel spending.

"You know, I have some grave concerns about the earmarking process in Congress," said Speier, D-San Mateo. "It's a train that is running out of control."

Questions followed from the audience of about 30, mostly Peninsula city council members from Speier's district who came to City Hall in Foster City to pick her brain before she heads back to Washington for the new session of Congress.

Could she get money for highway work or a housing project or a storm drain system?

"I know we all have special projects we want to promote," Speier said. 

"I don't want to disadvantage my district."

The freshman lawmaker said she doesn't oppose certain allocations, such as setting aside funds in a national transportation bill for a local roadway project. But she said she will not tack on pet projects to random bills "in the dark of night" and added that she plans to work vigorously to reform the earmarks system.

"We're either going to clean it up or I'm not going to be party to it," Speier said.

Talk of earmarks dominated the first part of the broad discussion, in which Speier also opined on the subprime mortgage crisis, Washington politics and immigration issues.

On the potential of leasing more federal waters to oil companies for offshore drilling, Speier said, Advertisement "The more I started researching it, I got more and more outraged. The oil they take out of that land — our land — is also our oil."

She added, "While we're sitting here now paying these extraordinary prices on gas, we're also subsidizing the very industry that is charging these (prices)."

Brisbane Mayor Michael Barnes asked about Speier's first bill, which would establish a 60 mph nationwide speed limit and got a mixed reception when she introduced it in July. She said it likely will be heard in the transportation committee next session and she has picked up the support of 12 members of Congress and a national trucking group.

Asked about her next piece of legislation, Speier said she's still working on it.

On Caltrain's efforts to electrify its rail line, which will require federal regulatory changes and most likely federal funds, Speier said she plans to "do everything we can to help."

Near the end of the meeting, Speier called on her friend, San Mateo County Supervisor Adrienne Tissier, who had slipped to the back, to ask if she had any questions.

"I just came for the pork," Tissier joked.

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