Senator John Cornyn

Thank you for agreeing to take the Earmarks and Federal Spending Issues Survey.

Below is the survey, and please note that it is two part. Please answer all questions and make comments in the space provided.

Considering what you know about earmarks and federal spending, which of the following statements best expresses your opinion?

The current secretive earmarking process works well and should not be changed.

The current earmarking process is flawed and Congress must enact a one-year moratorium during which time the process would be made more transparent.

Stop the practice of earmarking altogether.

Comment

In his State Of The Union Address, President Bush pledged to veto any spending bill that does not cut earmark spending in half. Do you support President Bush in this?

Yes

Comment

What is the best way to reform the earmark process?

Only allow earmarks that are specifically authorized by Congress.

Make sure earmarks are inserted before bill gets to Conference Committee.

Only allow earmarks that are requested by the President.

Only allow earmarks from special interest groups.

The earmark process is fine the way it is, no reform is needed.

Comment

Do you believe that representatives elected by the people, rather than government bureaucrats, should have the ability to direct funds?

Yes

Comment

Should there be an online database disclosing every earmark inserted into legislation?

Yes

Comment

The City Council of Berkeley voted to oust Marine Corps recruiters from their downtown office, saying the Marines were “uninvited and unwelcome intruders.” Berkeley officials also voted to give the radical protest group Code Pink space outside the recruitment office and urged them to “impede, passively or actively” the work of Marine Corps recruiters.

Should Congress rescind over $2 million in hidden earmarks for Berkeley, California in the 2008 Omnibus Appropriations bill, and transfer the funds to the Marine Corps?

Yes

Comment

Background: One Berkley earmark provides $243,000 in taxpayer dollars for the organization Chez Panisse to create gourmet organic school lunches in the Berkeley School District. Chez Panisse is dedicated to “environmental harmony” and their menu features “Comté cheese soufflé with mâche salad,” “Meyer lemon éclairs with huckleberry coulis,” and “Chicory salad with creamy anchovy vinaigrette and olive toast.”

Another earmark would spend $975,000 in taxpayer dollars for the University of California in Berkeley Matsui Center for Politics and Public Service, to create a new endowment and cataloging the papers of Congressman Robert Matsui. U.C. Berkeley currently already has a $3.5 billion endowment.

(Source: Citizens Against Government Waste website)

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Senator John Cornyn

EARMARK SURVEY

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Senator John Cornyn

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