01/26/10

BOISE, Idaho (AP) _ Idaho Congressman Walt Minnick says he is
swearing off earmarks in 2010.

The freshman Democrat says he will not submit any of the
so-called pork barrel requests added each year to congressional
spending bills. The 2010 pledge mirrors his 2009 stance on
earmarks, and one Minnick says he wants to keep his entire
political career.

Minnick says the lesson of November 2008 and last week's Senate
election in Massachusetts _ a Republican upset _ is that voters
want less federal spending.

Minnick cites a report by Citizens Against Government Waste that
found more than 10,100 earmarks worth $19.6 billion were tallied in
fiscal 2009.

Earmark supporters say they help pay for important local
projects. But Minnick says there are other ways to get federal
money to Idaho for those projects and programs.


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APNP-01-26-10 0550MST<