March 10, 2021 Issue, Page 3 of 10

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March 10, 2021 NEWS After a decade in exile, will earmarks rise again? Chris Casteel, The Oklahoman congressionally directed, I don't tain spending to the executive ticularly sometimes a tough bil ” MISDEMEANORS consider them earmarks. The branch, because it had their earmarks, State of Okla vs Emily L Moss Forgeries. Conspiracy After 10 years in exile, con- frivolous, pork spending that Congress authorized $5 mil- Cole said. "I think they help. State of Okla vs Matthew R Blain Forgeries. Conspiracy gressional earmarks are poised Democrats are prone to do — lion for the memorial, and ‘They give everyone an interest State of Okla vs Nicole M Groves DUI. Resisting for a comeback, as Democrats the things most people consider Oklahoma lawmakers secured in the bill.” prepare to make home state earmarks — I oppose." $4 million of that through ear- Lankford won Coburn's seat State of Okla vs Jarrett L Isch Protective order violation projects a feature of spending Barmark lobbyists marks. Once the earmark sys- FELONIES in 2014 after Coburn retired, bills this year. Rep. Rose DeLauro, the Con- tem was shut down, the del- State of Okla vs Guillermo J Rico DUI. Possession of CS. Republicans have yet to an- necticut Democrat who leads the egation couldn't get the Interior and has adopted his position on Bringing nounce whether they will par- House Appropriations Commit- Department to allot the final earmarks. Last week, Lankford contraband into jail ticipate in the earmark system, tee, announced last month that $1 million. Inhofe's staff finally and nine other Republican sena- and the party's decision will de- the House will accept requests figured out a way around the tors introduced legislation to termine whether any Oklahoma for earmarks — she called them bureaucratic roadblocks, and In- ban them permanently. lawmakers can request money Community Project Funding — hofe put the final $1 million into Lankford said he understood MARRIAGES € DIVORCE for roads, radars and other proj- in spending bills. the defense bill last year. the argument that the Con- ects. "Members want Congress to A gateway drug? stitution gives lawmakers the Oklahoma Reps. Tom Cole help their communities, par- The late Sen. Tom Coburn power to determine how money MARRIAGE LICENSES and Frank Lucas, the only House ticularly now as the pandemic fought to kill the earmark sys- is spent, and that earmarks can Nicky Cain, Elk City - Charity Ward, Elk City members from Oklahoma who exposed so many inequalities tem, and he challenged some Christopher Beggs, Elk City - Sarah Chamblin, Elk Cit were in Congress when earmarks and needs," DeLauro said. "Com- projects on the floor of the help win votes for legislation. Jason Welch, Elk City - Lillie Parker, Elk City were last allowed, expressed munity Project Funding will al- Senate, including the infamous "| still hear long-time appro- DIVORCES some ambivalence about their low members to put their deep, “bridge to nowhere" in Alaska. priators say: Appropriations Nancy Elwood vs Robert Elwood Jamie Brewer vs Marcus Brewer return. They acknowledged the first-hand understanding of the Coburn, a Republican, of- used to be easier when I could ‘Tamara Thacker vs Maxwell Thacker abuses that helped kill the sys- needs of their communities to ten referred to earmarks as the get earmarks and I could get tem but said earmarks were a work to help the people we rep- “gateway drug to spending ad- people to be able to vote for useful tool for lawmakers to ex- ert their constitutional author- resent." She said earmarks would have diction." He and Inhofe clashedthings by giving them their ear- publicly about them before the marks," Lankford said in an in- US cases post slowest spread ity over federal spending. Cole, R-Moore, whose past requirements, including strong community support, and that Senate ended the practice. Cole said last week that ear- terview. ‘The better way to secure mon- since pandemic began earmarks included money to the spending would be audited. marks never contributed to bud- ey for priority projects with a Mark Schoifet, Bloomberg News the US., with the total number build an exit off I-35 for the More than a decade ago, Dem- get deficits because they were al- of shots reaching 90.4 million, Chickasaw Nation casino in ocrats sought to reform the ear- located within the budget limits federal purpose is to fix the Of- fice of Management and Bud- With the U.S. vaccination ef- according to the Bloomberg Vac- his district and funding for the mark system; lawmakers had to set by Congress. fort picking up speed, new coro- cine Tracker. phased array radar at the Uni- claim all their projects and post “There were certainly prob- get, which is part of the White navirus cases in the U.S. rose At the same time, many state versity of Oklahoma's weather them on their websites, and lems with the system," Cole said. House, Lankford said. The OMB 1.5% in the week ended Sunday, and local governments are eas- center in Norman, said Republi- only public entities could receive “I would still say 95% of the ear- under former Presidents Barack the slowest increase since the ing mitigation measures as cans will have to decide whether them. marks were fine. ... I think peo- Obama and Donald Trump ig- pandemic began almost a year warmer weather and family hol- Democrats alone will be able to ‘Those changes followed nu- ple misunderstand them. I think nored its own departments, ago. idays approach and virus vari- earmark projects for their dis- merous scandals involving ear- they've been sensationalized to Lankford said. The US. reported 420,285 ants gain strength. That's spur- tricts. marks, including a bribery case some degree because of a few infections for the week, after Lucas said shutting down the recording 471,198 cases in the ring some concern that the virus "I think the real political that led to jail time for former bad apples." could gain new footholds ahead. question is whether or not California Republican Rep. Duke earmark system had freed leg- prior seven days, according to It's no time to relax, Anthony Cole and Lucas said the return islative offices from a time-con- data compiled by Johns Hop- Fauci, President Joe Biden’s Republicans will participate,” Cunningham. of earmarks could also mean the kins University and Bloomberg. An aide to former Oklahoma return of bipartisanship, if Re- suming chore. chief medical adviser on the Cole said. "Part of the debate The percentage gain was the pandemic, said Sunday on CBS's is: Do you want to be unilater- Republican Rep. Ernest Istook publicans agree to participate, “From a rank-and-file mem- smallest since Bloomberg began “Face the Nation.” U.S. cases re- ally disarmed? We're certain the pleaded guilty to a felony con- ‘on some spending and infra- ber's perspective, not having tracking cases in January 2020. main “very high” and a rush to (House) Democrats are going to spiracy charge in 2008 in con- structure bills. earmarks meant we didn't have In the past week, an average lift virus-related restrictions do it and assume the Senate will nection with his role in securing “There's no question that to deal with all the requests that of 2.16 million vaccine doses risks triggering another surge, come along." road projects for lobbyists who people would vote for a bill, par- came in in the old days," he said. per day were administered in he said. Cole is a senior member of the contributed to Istook’s cam- House Appropriations Commit- paigns. tee, which writes the spending bills that host earmarks. “There's an argument each ‘The earmark system created a cottage industry of earmark lobbyists, who represented local Variety of last-minute changes made to Senate aid package way," Cole said. "In my view, governments, colleges, defense they're a useful tool and an ap- contractors and a range of other propriate tool and I certainly entities. never minded scrutiny on any- ‘An analysis by The Oklaho- Paul M. Krawzak, CQ-Roll Call administration regulations pro- State grants for child care grants, a provision that would thing I ever did." man in 2009 showed most of hibiting oil and gas exploration. services would increase by $5 have allowed some local transit Lucas, R-Cheyenne, whose the earmarks obtained by Okla- WASHINGTON —A “perfect- The money in Wyden's pro- billion over a decade from the agencies to claim an additional earmark requests in the past homa lawmakers that year for ing amendment” the Senate ad- gram is available so far only for underlying Senate version. amount was removed, presum- focused primarily on research public entities were connected opted just before final passage the 2022 and 2023 fiscal years, And as restaurants and bars ably to more evenly distribute projects at universities in his to lobbyists. of a $1.9 trillion aid package so more would need to be ap- earlier celebrated on Saturday the remaining funds. district, said he couldn't judge By the time Republicans would add billions of dollars for propriated in subsequent legis- after the bill passed, an extra ‘And it appears the “Byrd rule” House Democrats’ new system shut the system down in early local governments, restaurants lation. Of the $2 billion, $500 $3.6 billion for those hard- named for former Sen. Robert for earmarks because he hadn't 2011, the annual price tag of and child care grants to states. million would be set aside for hit businesses was freed up in C. Byrd, D-WVa., intended to restrict what can be included in seen the details. earmarks was in the billions. In The changes came in a 58- tribal governments. Schumer’s amendment, bring- filibuster-proof budget recon- He said, "Were there abuses in 2009, there were 95 Oklahoma page amendment from Majority Changes to state, local funds ing total grants to $28.6 billion. ciliation bills, struck a couple of the old system? Absolutely. But projects worth $82 million in a Leader Charles E. Schumer, D- Restrictions on direct aid to Disabled children, ‘injurious other provisions in the earlier N.Y, covering various sections states would change somewhat species’ substitute. there are frailties in the legisla- single spending bill. of the wide-ranging relief bill. under Schumer's perfecting Tt wasn’t immediately clear ‘The late amendment removes tive process in everything.” Most of that money went to Further modifications to ini- amendment. how Democrats fit all the chang- language that would have re- Without the ability to steer public projects, such as Army tial amendment text obtained Gone is a requirement that es into the fiscal 2021 budget stricted access to $10 billion in money to priorities in their dis- Corps of Engineers lakes and by CQ Roll Call before it was the $195.3 billion be split into resolution’s $1.89 trillion ceil- small-business credit allocations tricts, lawmakers must count on dams. Cole's earmarks that year adopted by voice vote Saturday two tranches, with the second ing. unless states presented plans for executive agencies to see that went to the University of Okla- morning were written into the allotment made available 12 But there were changes made how minority-owned and com- projects are funded, Cole and homa, the Norman Regional margins. months later; instead, Treasury tightening eligibility for non- munity development financial Lucas said, adding that agen- Health System, the Native ‘The biggest changes involved Secretary Janet Yellen would profits to benefit from forgiv- institutions would participate. A cies are not always helpful, no American Cultural and Educa- restoring $10 billion in direct be given the optional authority able loans under the Paycheck requirement that states draw up aid to cities and counties, which to withhold 50 percent of the Protection Program, which a plans for how the money would matter what party controls the tional Authority, Mid-America had been cut from the initial funds up front. The language source involved in the discus- benefit “business enterprises White House. Christian University, the Ada Senate substitute amendment stipulates that Yellen “shall” ex- sions said was how the restau- owned and controlled by socially Sen. James Lankford, R- Public Works Authority, the Ar- to the House-passed aid bill (HR ercise that authority based on rant grants grew in size. Both and economically disadvantaged Oklahoma City, said the White dmore Development Authority 1319). The restored funds bring provisions were in the jurisdic- each state’s unemployment rate. individuals” was also removed. House, under both parties, had and the city of Norman. the total for local governments In addition, the prescribed tion of the Senate Small Busi- ‘The amendment also removes ignored its own agencies’ spend- ness Committee. Inhofe, a staunch defender to $130.2 billion, while preserv- uses of funds for both states and ‘The flurry of activity on Friday prescriptive language on $10 ing recommendations, frus- of earmarks for public works ing a $10 billion fund for state localities would be revised from and Saturday that resulted in million appropriated for the trating him as he tried to work projects, used his influential broadband infrastructure proj- the earlier substitute amend- trimming added unemployment US. Fish and Wildlife Service. through the process to get Okla- position on the Environment ects that the earlier amendment ment. A restriction on the uses benefits from $400 to $300 per ‘The agency was supposed to use homa projects funded. and Public Works Committee to made room for, of funds based on the need to week, coupled with a one-week the money to identify and track But he said that was no reason direct tens of millions of dollars In addition, the final amend- provide government services extension to Sept. 6, also prob- species that would potentially to revive the earmark system to major interstate projects in ment would create a new $1 would be tightened to stipulate ably freed up substantial extra transmit pathogens that could “The practice of earmarking Oklahoma City and Tulsa. billion annual program, cham- funds for Medicaid, child care that states and localities could make humans sick, as well as pioned by Senate Finance Chair use the money only to replace and state and local funds in the “develop regulations to make became a way to be able to buy The rebuilding of the 1-40 Ron Wyden, D-Ore,, for commu- the amount of revenue lost dur- Senate Finance Committee's ju- votes, to be able to move people" crosstown bridge near down- emergency listings for injurious nities and tribal governments ing the pandemic compared to risdiction. Other changes were made species.” to vote for certain bills, said town Oklahoma City was fund- that have historically been the prior full fiscal year. Lankford, who was first elected ed primarily by earmarks, in- harmed by federal government in the Senate Health, Educa- State and local governments tion, Labor and Pensions Com- The preliminary Schumer amendment would have re- to Congress in 2010, just as cluding ones obtained by Inhofe policies. would gain the ability to use mittee’s jurisdiction. The final moved only the requirement House Republicans banned ear- and Lucas. Most of the state's In a statement for the re- their allotments to provide “pre- amendment took $3 billion out that the Fish and Wildlife ser- marks. delegation committed their ear- cord, Wyden cited communi- mium pay” to essential workers of funds set aside for K-12 edu- ties across the western United of up to $13 per hour, capped at vice develop the emergency list- Though some lawmakers’ mark allotment from a highway cation technology grants pi marily for low-income and dis- ings regulations; handwritten projects, like interstate highway bill to the crosstown project. States, including his home state, a maximum $25,000. Essential that are situated on federal workers are defined as those abled children, instead creating changes would strike all of the repairs, had a federal purpose, “The argument was made that lands without a substantial lo- “needed to maintain continu- a new $3 billion pot for grants prescribed uses of the $10 mil- many were far too local in na- the I-40 crosstown was such an cal tax base to pay for govern- ity of operations of essential under the Individuals with Dis- lion, however. Instead the mon- ture, Lankford said, important, significant transpor- ment services. Federal environ- critical infrastructure sectors” abilities Education Act. Of thatey would have to be used under “There are lots of things the tation artery, not just for the mental and wildlife protection or others as designated by state funding, $550 million would the existing statute governing people of Oklahoma should pay state but for the nation, that it laws have sapped rural counties’ and local officials as critical to be reserved for programs for illegal trafficking in wildlife and preschools and infants and tod- for that people of Kansas should had to be done," Lucas said. ability to benefit from revenue- “health and well-being” of their dlers. plants, known as the Lacey Act. not," Lankford said. Lucas and others also secured sharing arrangements involved residents. ‘Also, a new workers’ compen- A final handwritten fix at the Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Tulsa, who money for the Oklahoma City in resource extraction, like tim- States would also gain more sation fund for federal workers end of the 58-page amendment secured tens of millions of dol- bombing memorial, while Cole ber, oil and gas. federal help with Medicaid costs who came down with COVID-19 would change the way $280 lars for state road projects and and former Rep. J.C. Watts en- Eligible communities include associated with providing home between Jan. 27, 2020, and Jan. million for Native American for U.S. military bases in the sured funding for OU's weather counties, parishes or boroughs, and community-based services. 27, 2023, removed from the ear- community development block as well as the District of Colum- A 7.35 percentage-point boost lier version, would be restored grants are distributed. The un- state, said last week, “Things center. in the final Senate bill. Federal bia, Puerto Rico, Guam and the in the federal matching percent- derlying bill would have made like transportation, infrastruc- ‘The Oklahoma City National US. Virgin Islands. The fund age in the original version would employees during. who only worked the money available “without ture for our state and military, Memorial could be a case study would presumably benefit com- jump to 10 percentage points in remotely, wouldn't be eligible. that time competition,” but those two supporting our troops in the in how the end of the earmark munities that have complained Schumer’s perfecting amend- Out of $26.1 billion in the words were struck by the per- field — when those things are system shifted control of cer- of the fiscal impact of Biden ment. bill for urban transit agency fecting amendment.