Obama Defends - Signs Spending Bill

2009-03-13 02:47:58 (GMT) (WiredPRNews.com - News, US Presidential News)

Obama signs new spending bill on Wednesday

The President signed the controversial measure on Wednesday.

Wired PR News – President Barack Obama privately signed the recently approved by Congress $410 billion spending bill on Wednesday. As reported by the Associated Press (AP), Obama defended highly criticized pet projects contained in the measure, quoted as stating in the report, “Done right, earmarks have given legislators the opportunity to direct federal money to worthy projects that benefit people in their districts. And that’s why I’ve opposed their outright elimination.”

As noted by the AP, the President reportedly further requested that Congress make it a requirement for for-profit entities obtaining earmarks to be “subject to competitive bids,” and is quoted as citing the bill as imperfect, but the changes could “ensure that the budget process inspires trust and confidence instead of cynicism.”

David Obey Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, is quoted by the AP as stating of all of the public focus on the measure, “With all of the hyperventilating over the 1 percent of the omnibus appropriations bill that is made up of earmarks… Washington has mostly glossed over the important results it has achieved with the other 99 percent of the bill.”

Photo Credit: Douglas Mappin