Speaker Mike Johnson (GOP-LA) reportedly gave nearly all Democrats earmarks in exchange for their votes in favor of a $1.2 trillion spending bill, which most House Republicans opposed.
Hakeem Jeffries, the leader of the House Democrats (D-NY), gained a significant advantage by voting in favor of Johnson’s budget measure, which included a sizable increase in earmarks for Democratic home districts, during their negotiations over two federal funding bills.
In this legislative term, Democrats said they did not receive their fair share of congressionally directed projects, or earmarks. Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, said that Jeffries made it plain that Democrats would supply the votes to approve the funding package in exchange for an increase in their portion of the earmarks.
The transportation funding measure contained the earmarks, which increased the earmarks for Democrats by $616,279 for nearly every member compared to what had come out of committee months earlier, according to a CNN analysis.
According to CNN, “almost every single Dem for at least one project” received an earmark in the massive spending plan.
Jeffries wished to keep the triumph a secret, DeLauro told CNN.
“There was no requirement. The negotiator, Jeffries. He got us everything we needed. That is all. Getting things done does not necessarily require a press conference. That is his manner,” DeLauro remarked.
“It is true that nobody could have predicted all of this nonsense that has occurred here at the start of this Congress. However, Democrats have found success under Jeffries’ leadership, which has elevated the party’s stature and effectiveness, according to ranking member of the House Rules Committee, Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA).
Rep. Jim Himes (D-CT) said, “I saw him take the caucus temperature, listen to a lot of people, and eventually end in a position that not everyone rejoiced, but everyone was comfortable with.”
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