House Republicans Urge Earmark Moratorium -- Yes!! (But see UPDATE)

From The New York Times:

House Republicans called on Friday for “an immediate moratorium” on earmarking money for pet projects. They urged Democrats to join them in establishing a bipartisan panel to set strict new standards for such spending.

As an interim step, House Republican leaders said, they will insist that all House Republicans follow standards to eliminate “wasteful pork-barrel spending.”

Democrats won control of the House in 2006 with promises to end the Republican “culture of corruption.” House Republican leaders hope to seize the initiative on the issue, which they believe resonates with millions of voters.

A Republican presidential candidate, Senator John McCain of Arizona, is campaigning on his record as a longtime foe of earmarks. In wartime, he said, “it is especially egregious to squander money on special-interest pet projects.”
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UPDATE -- House GOP Backs Away From Real Earmark Moratorium:

From The Washington Post:

House Republicans wrap up their three-day retreat at the Greenbrier resort today having taken only modest steps toward their biggest goal for the gathering -- a bold, consensus earmark reform plan that the party can use to invigorate its disillusioned base and paint Democrats as soft on the issue.

Coming into the retreat, many conservative lawmakers and some members of leadership were optimistic that the GOP could agree on a one-year moratorium on new spending earmarks, a ban that Republicans would heed even if Democrats wouldn't.

In the end, however, the GOP could not reach agreement on such a strict ban during their private discussion on the issue Friday night. Instead, the party settled on sending a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) calling for Democrats to agree to a moratorium -- meaning the minority would abstain from earmarks if the majority did too.