After several hours of negotiations, Republicans and Democrats agreed on how to deal with earmarks during the appropriations process, ending a three-day GOP standoff that virtually brought the House floor to a standstill.
{mosads}The deal, brokered primarily between Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), Appropriations Chairman David Obey (D-Wis.) and Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio), allows the Homeland Security and Military Construction bills to move through the House with no earmarks this week under unanimous consent with limited debate. Both bills traditionally have very few earmarks.
The Homeland Security bill is expected to pass Thursday evening while the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs funding measure will move on Friday, according to Republican leaders.
Other details differed little from the original deal presented by Republicans Thursday morning. The remaining 10 bills will include a list of requested projects. Members would be permitted to raise a point of order if a bill has earmarks that were added in conference and if a list of earmarks is not included.
The change must go through the Rules Committee, which will take up the legislation on Monday.
At approximately 7:30 p.m., House leaders took to the floor to explain several of the provisions to members.
Hoyer and Obey confirmed the details on the House floor in response to members’ questions.
“It has been the intention of the Minority Leader, Majority Leader and myself to try and get the House moving on this bill tonight so we are not here until four in the morning,” Obey said. “There is an understanding that has been reached … the intent that all of the bills by the time have an opportunity for earmarks to be attached to the bills.”
“Every earmark starting with Monday forward will be included in the bills,” Hoyer said.
Hoyer and Obey explained that due to the amount of earmarks and the complicated nature of the Energy and Water bill, it’s earmarks will be attached to a separate report that will be fully considered by the House. The bill will be sent to the Senate as one document.