Olympia Snowe Supports Earmark Moratorium, Too

A statement from Maine's senior senator Olympia Snowe echoes Minority Leader Mitch McConnell: 

“The American people have spoken loud and clear that they are angry with the nation’s current fiscal policies, highlighted by out-of-control government spending and the burgeoning federal budget deficit.  Earmarking may account for less than one percent of overall federal expenditures, but it is an issue of how government is spending Americans’ hard-earned tax dollars.  In that light, the moratorium on earmarks that I will support in tomorrow’s Senate Republican Conference may be a small step, but it is an important step to demonstrate that we are listening and that Congress gets it.  At the same time, we must also work in Congress to establish a system to ensure that federal agencies are spending the appropriations funding they receive responsibly, appropriately, and with transparency.”

The question now is how many Republicans in addition to Lisa Murkowski will vote to keep earmarking when Tom Coburn puts a moratorium up for a full Senate vote.