Cochran miffed with Bush proposal

The Hattiesburg American, 1/29/8

President Bush’s final State of the Union address got a mixed review from Mississippi’s federal lawmakers.

While most Republicans praised Monday’s speech, Sen. Thad Cochran, the highest-ranking Republican on the Senate Appropriations Committee, said he opposed the president’s attempts to shrink the number of earmarks or local projects sought by lawmakers in spending bills.

“Congress has the sole power under the Constitution to appropriate funds for expenditure by the federal government,” Cochran said. “I will oppose any measure which in effect transfers this power to the executive branch.”