Golden pushes stronger anti-corruption rules on House earmarks

Image September 18, 2026 Press Release Resolution would tighten guardrails against House members benefitting materially from Community Project Funding WASHINGTON — Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) is co-leading an effort to strengthen guardrails against Members of Congress using taxpayer-funded earmarks to increase their own net worth. Golden joined Reps. Young Kim (CA-40) and Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01) to introduce a resolution seeking to change House rules regarding Community Project Funding (CPF), a process that allows Members to direct federal funds to projects undertaken by state, local or tribal governments or certain nonprofits. “Americans deserve certainty that when a member of Congress secures funding for their district, it’s for the good of their constituents — not themselves, their families or any entity in which they have a financial interest,” Golden said. "This resolution will strengthen the anti-corruption guardrails around earmarks to ensure federal dollars are used responsibly. I’m proud to co-sponsor this commonsense change to preserve the integrity of the House.” Under current rules , Members requesting CPF must certify that they and their spouses have no financial conflicts of interest in the request. However, current rules do not explicitly account for indirect financial interests — such as whether an earmark could increase the value of a business asset owned by a Member or their family because of its proximity to the CPF project. The proposal closes this loophole by requiring Members of Congress to certify that neither they, their spouse, their immediate family members, nor any entity in which they hold a material financial interest would directly or indirectly benefit financially from an earmark. “When politicians are busy lining their own pockets, how can they ever understand or focus on the pocketbook issues Americans face every single day? Californians are struggling to afford groceries, gas, healthcare, and housing while paying some of the highest taxes in the nation. The least they deserve is representation focused on making their lives better,” Kim said. “I’m proud to lead this commonsense resolution with Congressmen Jared Golden and Brian Fitzpatrick to hold Members of Congress to a stronger standard when bringing federal dollars back home. Members of Congress should be concerned with building a better future for Americans, not filling their own coffers.” “Public service is a public trust, and there can be no ambiguity about whose interests we are here to serve,” Fitzpatrick said. “No Member of Congress should be able to use the power of public office to create a financial benefit for themselves, their family, or an entity in which they have a financial stake. I have spent years working across the aisle to strengthen accountability and eliminate conflicts of interest in Congress, and the principle here is just as clear: public decisions must be made in the public interest. Clear rules, meaningful transparency, and real accountability are essential to protecting the integrity of this institution and the trust of the people we serve.” Text of the resolution is available here . ### Issues : Good Government, Anti-Corruption & Clean Elections