WASHINGTON, Dec. 26 (UPI) -- Fiscal watchdog groups claim U.S. President Barack Obama has yet to honor his pledge to limit federal spending on local projects.
The expected fiscal 2010 tally for related federal earmarks is nearly $12 billion. While that represents a drop from 2009's $15 billion tally, the watchdog groups said the decline is not representative of Obama's campaign vows, The Hill reported Saturday.
U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis., said since Obama focused on earmark reform in his presidential campaign, he expected Obama to take stronger measures once in office.
"We've got to have a fresh start next year, and I've signaled that if they want my vote, they've got to stop just signing onto huge numbers of earmarks," Feingold said.
Steve Ellis, vice president of Taxpayers for Common Sense, said while members of the U.S. House and Senate posted their earmark requests online this year, legislative procedures make it difficult to mount opposition to the requests.
"It's almost impossible to have hearings on them because you don't see the bill until they're voting on it," Ellis told The Hill.
