Changes

[[Image:102.gif|350px|right|thumb|The Zogby International Poll reported a "paltry 11 percent rated Congress positively, beating the previous low of 14 percent in July." <ref>[http://www.zogby.com/news/ReadNews.dbm?ID=1359 Reuters/Zogby Poll], Septermber 19, 2007.</ref>]]

[[Image:102.gif|350px|right|thumb|The Zogby International Poll reported a "paltry 11 percent rated Congress positively, beating the previous low of 14 percent in July." <ref>[http://www.zogby.com/news/ReadNews.dbm?ID=1359 Reuters/Zogby Poll], Septermber 19, 2007.</ref>]]

The [[Democratic party]] which gained control of the [[U.S. House of Representatives]] in the 2006 Congressional midterm elections had promised major reforms within the first 100 hours. One reform in particular was lobbying and ethics reform—a key plank in the fall 2006 campaign.  Democrats vowed greater openness in the Congressional Appropriations process, and an end to so-called "[[earmark]]s", an appropriation designated to spend specific money on a specific project in a specific members district, sometimes designating a specific private business concern to whom the money is to be spent with. Several Republican members had been caught up in so-called earmark scandals, trading money for influence, and this was widely accredited as a key reason why the GOP lost control of the House after a dozen years.  

The [[Democratic party]] which gained control of the [[U.S. House of Representatives]] in the 2006 Congressional midterm elections had promised major reforms within the first 100 hours. One reform in particular was lobbying and ethics reform—a key plank in the fall 2006 campaign.  Democrats vowed greater openness in the Congressional Appropriations process, and an end to so-called "[[earmark]]s," an appropriation designated to spend specific money on a specific project in a specific members district, sometimes designating a specific private business concern to whom the money is to be spent with. Several Republican members had been caught up in so-called earmark scandals, trading money for influence, and this was widely accredited as a key reason why the GOP lost control of the House after a dozen years.  

==Achievements==

==Achievements==