Intelligencer, The
(Doylestown, PA) PUBLICATION2
September 7, 2006
Section: LOCAL
Page: B4
Murphy blasts Fitzpatrick for "reckless spending'
The
congressman retaliated, criticizing the challenger's claim that he
would have voted against a bill to bring millions to Bucks County.
Brian ScheidTHE INTELLIGENCER
Democratic
congressional candidate Patrick Murphy criticized Congressman Mike
Fitzpatrick on Wednesday for "reckless spending and irresponsible
fiscal policies" that he charged have contributed to the nation's more
than $8 trillion debt.
"Our
country right now is in a fiscal crisis," Murphy said at a press
conference outside the Bucks County Courthouse. "(Fitzpatrick) doesn't
have discipline when it comes to our fiscal policy."Murphy
blasted Fitzpatrick for voting for "pork barrel" projects such as the
$231 million "bridge to nowhere" in Alaska which would connect a small
Alaskan town with an island of about 50 people. That plan was later
killed by Congress in the wake of staunch criticism from watchdog
groups.
Federal funding for that bridge was included in a $286.4
billion federal transportation bill that included $26 million in funds
for projects in Bucks County, a bill Murphy said Wednesday he would
have voted against. Only eight House members and four senators voted
against the bill when it was overwhelmingly approved last year.
"Sometimes you have to make tough decisions," Murphy said.
In
a phone interview, Fitzpatrick criticized Murphy's claim he would have
voted against a bill that will bring $5 million for reconstruction of
Route 13 in Bristol and Bristol Township, $2.4 million for improvements
to Swamp Road in Newtown Township and $8 million for a portion of the
I-95/Pennsylvania Turnpike interchange. He called Murphy's claim
"inconceivable."
"What I find truly shocking is that Pat would
have turned his back on the important transportation projects for this
district," Fitzpatrick said. "All of these projects are important to
the district and these are projects that the local officials asked that
I go to Washington to fight for."
Murphy said, if elected, he
would cut "pork barrel projects" such as the Alaskan bridge, $500,000
for a teapot museum in North Carolina and $1 million for an aquarium in
Connecticut. Funding for those projects were all tacked on to
multibillion-dollar appropriations bills.
Fitzpatrick has
introduced a reform bill that would require the names of members of
Congress be listed next to any earmark they add to a larger bill and
would require earmarks to be added no later than 72 hours before the
bill is voted on.
Murphy said he also wants to reinstitute
"pay-as-you-go" rules that would force Congress to balance tax cuts and
spending and said he would support a constitutional amendment for a
balanced budget, which Fitzpatrick said he has supported.
Brian Scheid can be reached at (215) 949-4165 or
bscheid@phillyBurbs.com
September 7, 2006
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