Thad Cochran votes against earmark ban
The Senate on Tuesday defeated a proposed ban on lawmaker directed spending items known as earmarks, even though a majority of senators supported the ban.
Under an agreement between the Democratic and Republican Senate leaders, a two-thirds majority was required to advance the ban proposed by Senator Tom Coburn, Republican of Oklahoma. Senators Claire McCaskill of Missouri and Mark Udall of Colorado, both Democrats, were also strong supporters of the ban.
The vote was 39 in favor and 56 against.
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Eight Republicans voted against the earmark ban: Bob Bennett of Utah; Thad Cochran of Mississippi, the senior Republican on the Appropriations Committee; Susan Collins of Maine; James Inhofe of Oklahoma; Lisa Murkowski of Alaska; Richard Lugar of Indiana; Richard C. Shelby of Alabama; and George V. Voinovich of Ohio.
New York Times
11/30/10
Magnolia Tribune
