Congressional pork barrel pig-outs may for now be on hold, after embarrassing publicity about earmarking abuses shamed leaders into calling a temporary halt to the practice, but Americans for Prosperity-Colorado wants to prolong that pork-free diet by asking members of Colorado’s Congressional delegation to take a 2-year no earmarking pledge.

“Signing the pledge is one important test of whether the Congressman or congressional candidate is serious about reining-in runaway deficits and debt,” said AFP-Co State Director Jeff Crank. “Earmarking is an abuse of the budget process that Americans correctly recognize as an open invitation to corruption, cronyism, and vote-buying. We would like to see earmarking permanently banned, but we’re taking this one step at a time by asking for a 2-year promise.”

Crank continued, “Eliminating earmark abuse is the critical first step toward restoring discipline and integrity to a budget process that is out-of-control and vulnerable to exploitation. If we can’t curb earmarking, there’s little hope of ever restoring fiscal restraint and responsibility in Washington.”

AFP Colorado implemented the same pledge in 2010. Among the first to sign the pledge were 4th District Rep. Cory Gardner, 5th District Rep. Doug Lamborn and his primary challenger Robert Blaha. AFP-Colorado won’t rest until every sitting member of the delegation, along with every candidate running for a seat, has signed or rejected the pledge.

Although it is a non-partisan organization that does not endorse candidates, AFP-CO does intend to remind citizens who did and didn’t sign the pledge as part of their education and outreach efforts.

Click here to view a copy of the no earmark pledge.