Fiscal Year 2010 Appropriations
This is a list of my funding requests for Fiscal Year 2010.
I believe our nation’s founders were correct when they wrote our Constitution and created a government for the United States that is strictly defined and limited. Power for government functions is divided between the federal, state and local governments as well as between executive, legislative and judicial branches. Our Constitution’s limitations on government and guarantees of protection for our God-given natural rights as individuals are among the primary reasons that America became the greatest nation on Earth.
I support annual federal budgets that will reduce overall government spending, lower taxes and eliminate counterproductive regulations. The President’s Budget is a list of funding requests. Members of Congress have shared budgetary responsibility under our Constitution and laws and should also be able to make funding requests.
Members of Congress know the needs and priorities of our districts and states better than unelected bureaucrats. Congressional funding requests for our Armed Forces are essential to allow for the acquisition of innovative and potentially life-saving capabilities that may have been unknown or unavailable at the time of the deadlines for preparation of the President’s Budget.
As long as the opportunity exists, I will submit funding requests because I believe they benefit Maryland’s Sixth District, Maryland and our country. I support increasing public access, debate and votes about funding requests by Members of Congress. I oppose the elimination of funding requests by Members of Congress. More transparency is needed, not the elimination of funding requests by Members of Congress. That is why I was one of the first Members of Congress to post my funding requests on my website.
To increase opportunities for debate and public scrutiny of funding requests by members, I believe that all funding requests by members should be reviewed by the committees of jurisdiction. Any funding requests by members should be identified, listed in the text of bills and posted for online access at least 24 hours before any votes on the bill take place in committee. Funding requests by members should be subject to amendments that would be made in order for debate and votes in committee as well as by the full House on the floor. No requests by members should be added after committee approval, before floor consideration by the whole House or during conferences to reconcile differences between House and Senate versions of a bill.
Since I serve on the Armed Services Committee that approves policies and programs and makes funding recommendations for our Armed Forces, I divide my list of funding requests into two documents: defense and non-defense. All funding requests are generally described as earmarks, but there are some distinctions worth noting. In the non-defense document, if there is no address listed for a recipient, my request is a recommended funding level for a federal program. Most defense requests are plus-ups. That means that, if approved, these funding requests are additions to the budget.
For a list of specific requests, see related files below.
