Right Now
Dr. Coburn today sent a letter to Defense Secretary Robert Gates requesting a critique of whether or not each earmark carved out of the Pentagon’s budget “is useful and cost effective in advancing the goals of the Department” as well as “an analysis of the impact of the unnecessary earmarks on the Department’s budget priorities.”
The letter notes “since most members of Congress are not experts on defense systems and military hardware, guidance from military experts is needed to ensure defense dollars are wisely allocated.”
Dr. Coburn's office had difficulty in obtaining meaningful information about the more than 300 earmarks contained within the Defense Department authorization bill debated by the Senate this week from the sponsors or the recipients of those earmarks.
