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Congressman Bishop urges focus on overall federal spending, defends some earmarks
Summary
Visiting U.S. Rep. Chris Bishop told the Utah Senate that concern about earmarks often distracts from the larger problem of overall federal spending, criticized PAYGO rules as likely to drive tax increases, and praised Utah’s budgeting process and local military development efforts.
U.S. Rep. Chris Bishop visited the Utah Senate to discuss federal budgeting, earmarks and PAYGO rules, telling senators that headline fights over earmarks often mask broader budgetary choices. “Earmarks are not a problem, Washington — it’s the amount of money we’re putting on the table that’s the problem before you ever start piddling around with any of the earmarks,” Bishop said, urging attention to the overall size of federal spending rather than individual line items.
Bishop argued that simply eliminating earmarks without cutting total spending returns discretion to federal agencies and may not reduce spending. He criticized PAYGO as a mechanism that can lead to tax increases, saying the policy can be used to justify revenue increases rather than focus on spending restraint. He also described recent revenue trends and deficit reductions over the prior four years and defended certain spending choices as consistent with constituent priorities.
Bishop — who noted his assignments on the Armed Services and Education committees — complimented the Senate’s work on local military development and urged continued cooperation on opportunities tied to Hill Air Force Base. He closed by praising Utah’s budgeting process as more open and accountable than federal practices and encouraged state legislators to preserve those strengths.
The floor noted the visit before proceeding to a time‑certain debate on House Bill 148.
