79R1893 PJR-D

By:  Van Arsdale                                                H.C.R. No. 14 



CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
	WHEREAS, On November 20, 2004, the 108th United States 
Congress passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2005 -- a 
$388 billion omnibus spending bill containing 11,772 "special 
projects," totaling nearly $15.8 billion; traditionally referred 
to as "pork barreling," this type of spending manifests itself as a 
specific line item or earmarked appropriation that provides funds 
for local improvements to ingratiate legislators with their 
constituents; and
	WHEREAS, The use of "pork barrel" spending has accelerated so 
much in recent years that the number of earmarks doubled in five of 
the 13 appropriations bills passed by Congress between fiscal years 
1998 and 1999 and has continued unabated despite a total national 
debt estimated to be over $7.5 trillion  as of December 2004; and
	WHEREAS, In contrast to projects and priorities determined by 
the states through comprehensive review and analysis, as well as 
consultation with local officials, many congressional earmarks 
tend to arise in the few weeks or months leading up to a bill's 
enactment as votes are sought to ensure passage, with the result 
that each project's financial needs and related costs tend to be 
roughly estimated and, consequently, incorrect; these items 
represent a federal rebuke of the priorities set by governors and 
state legislatures far more familiar with the needs of their 
constituencies, and should the trend continue, federal programs 
will quickly approach the point at which a majority of spending in 
critical government functions will be dedicated to only specific 
projects in specific places; and
	WHEREAS, Recognizing this danger and leading bipartisan 
efforts  to end "pork barrel" politics, U.S. Senator John McCain has 
developed criteria to identify such unnecessary, low-priority, or 
wasteful items in appropriations bills, including: (1)  whether the 
spending is not properly authorized by the Senate or not requested 
by the Administration; (2)  whether the spending is an unauthorized 
and unrequested, locality-specific or facility-specific earmark; 
(3)  whether the item is a budget add-on that would be subject to a 
budget point of order; or (4)  whether the earmark consists of new 
items added in conference committee that were never considered in 
either bill in either chamber of Congress; and
	WHEREAS, These issues can be resolved by amending Clause 7, 
Section 9, Article I, United States Constitution, to eliminate 
federal spending on budgetary earmarks not in the national 
interest; such an amendment would result in more efficient use of 
revenue and allow state governments to determine the best use of 
funds to serve their constituents; now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the 79th Legislature of the State of Texas 
hereby memorialize the United States Congress to propose and submit 
to the states for ratification an amendment to the United States 
Constitution to prohibit federal spending on budgetary earmarks not 
in the national interest; and, be it further
	RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward official 
copies of this resolution to the president of the United States, to 
the speaker of the house of representatives and the president of the 
senate of the United States Congress, and to all the members of the 
Texas delegation to the congress, with the request that this 
resolution be entered officially in the Congressional Record as a 
memorial to the Congress of the United States of America.