Next Fight: Obama vs Inouye over Line Item Veto

The Hill:  Bill sponsors Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Tom Carper (D-Del.) said they have discussed their the Reduce Unnecessary Spending Act with the administration and noted that last May, Obama expressed support for this type of power. It would enable him to eliminate earmarks and other wasteful spending from appropriations bills.

Sens. Mark Udall (D-Colo.), Rob Portman (R-Ohio), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Dan Coats (R-Ind.) and Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) also appeared at a press event to tout the bill, which was introduced Jan. 25. …

Past efforts at enacting enhanced rescission have failed in the face or resistance by appropriators. Senate Appropriations Chairman Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) this year for the first time agreed to temporarily ban earmarks in bills. 

McCain said that legislation is necessary because the voluntary earmarks ban is not a victory for his cause.

"The battle is not won. It is at best a truce," he said.

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Inouye to soon Issue definition of Earmark: “the workarounds will only be limited by the human imagination.”

The Hill: Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) has said he will soon distribute to senators his definition of what he considers an earmark.

One word came up in most conversations about a congressional ban: loopholes. And former aides and longtime budget analysts expect the earmark bans to have plenty.

“The new pork mechanisms will depend on how Inouye has decided to define pork/earmarks,” Wheeler said. “The loopholes will be there; he and his staff know how to make them. Once the ‘definition’ is set, the workarounds will only be limited by the human imagination.”

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