U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul on his Web site issued a statement in support of the Washington, D.C.-based group Citizens Against Government Waste, which this week issued its annual report on pork barrel spending by members of Congress.

"I applaud Citizens Against Government Waste for shining a bright light on this egregious abuse of spending taxpayer money by members on both sides of the aisle.  I urge every American to read their report.  Two years ago I took a stand against this broken and corrupt process by refusing to request earmarks until the system is 100% transparent as to the sponsor and recipient and until each earmark is subject to an up or down vote on the House floor.  I am proud that my House Republican colleagues recently joined my stand for reform.  Americans deserve a real commitment to stop spending their hard-earned money on wasteful special interest pork projects.” 

McCaul, R-Austin, elaborated on his objections to earmarks in a story by Texas Watchdog posted at the time of the release of the Citizens Against Government Waste 2010 Congressional Pig Book. Texas Watchdog has also posted a searchable database of the projects highlighted by the Citizens group that are directed to places in Texas.

Contact Mark Lisheron at 512-299-2318 or mark@texaswatchdog.org. Photo of a prize-winning pig by flickr user The Pug Father, used via a Creative Commons license.