Changes

[[Image:Pr070620biii.gif|350px|right|thumb|By mid-June Congressional Approval Ratings were lowest in a decade. [http://galluppoll.com/content/?ci=27937]]]

[[Image:Pr070621ii.gif|350px|right|thumb|During the 110th Congress, Americans confidence in Congress hit an all-time low of 14% in the history of the Gallup Poll.[http://www.galluppoll.com/content/default.aspx?ci=27946]]]

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.