WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Walter B. Jones (NC-3) announced today that he will not pursue new earmarks in the Fiscal Year 2010 budget process. Jones’ pledge is a renewal of the “no new earmarks” pledge he announced during the last session of Congress.

“It has become evident to me that the baby steps Congress has taken in attempting to fix the earmark process are nowhere close to sufficient,” Congressman Jones said. “Taxpayers demand open, transparent government, and the Congress is failing to deliver it. If the people’s faith in government is going to be restored, this Congress must change, and earmark reform is a great place to start.”

To help jumpstart the reform process during the 110th Congress, Jones cosponsored H. Con. Res. 263 – legislation that would put a moratorium on earmarks until a bipartisan select committee holds public hearings and produces a report to Congress with recommendations for comprehensive earmark reform. H. Con. Res. 263 garnered 160 Republican cosponsors. Members of the House Republican Leadership, led by Minority Leader John Boehner, have urged Speaker Pelosi to institute the bill’s provisions – a move strongly supported by Congressman Jones.