Sen. Claire McCaskill spoke on the floor Wednesday in support of an amendment that would prohibit earmarks from being included in FEMA's emergency management and disaster grant program.
The amendment was offered by fellow anti-earmark crusader Sen. Russ Feingold.
McCaskill said the provision would force states to compete for dollars based on need, not the clout of a particular Senator.
The amendment FAILED.
*WATCH CLIPS OF HER SPEECH ABOVE*
"One of the fantasies around here…is this fantasy that the money for earmarks is created out of nothing, that somehow the money for earmarks just lands on everyone’s desk and no programs are hurt by the earmarking process," McCaskill said on the Senate floor Wednesday. "Truth be known, I can give example after example in the budget that, over the years, good competitive programs have been cut while earmarking has skyrocketed."
McCaskill added that earmarks are "causing flood plain managers around the country to quit planning to mitigate because they can short circuit the process and just go for an earmark."
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