An all-too-common practice in Washington is getting a bill that seems impossible to vote against solely because of its name

An all-too-common practice in Washington is getting a bill that seems impossible to vote against solely because of its name, but when you look under the hood, it gets a bit more complicated. That is why I voted against the Commemorative Coin for Breast Cancer Awareness Bill, which while well-intended, became an earmark for one specific foundation in the district of the bill’s chief sponsor. Government should not be in the business of favoring and picking one foundation over the many others in this country who do good. My dad died of ALS. Other friends have family who has died as a result of a host of different cancers, and for government to support one means the others are disadvantaged.

I certainly think there should be increased awareness for breast cancer, among other forms of cancer. However, there is a certain precedent set when the government sells products like coins, stamps, or other items and dedicates those proceeds to an individual group or entity at the expense of all others.

Today, the issue was a commemorative coin whose funds are intended for two purposes: the Susan G. Komen for the Cure and the Breast Cancer Research Foundation in New York. After pro-life objections were raised about funds going to the Komen Foundation, the bill was amended to send all of the money to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation in the district of the bill’s chief sponsor. There are many ways that funds could have been distributed to increase awareness for breast cancer. However, this bill became the equivalent of an earmark for one member of Congress, and I think we should be careful about the unintended consequences that come in doing so.

As a result, I opposed the legislation and, at the same time, cosponsored legislation with my colleague, Justin Amash, that would reform the commemorative coin process to make sure that funds don’t go to a particular group but are instead used to defray the costs of production and reduce the deficit. The bill passed 421-9 with one present vote. It’s hard to say what the final verdict will be in the Senate, but hopefully, we will get a chance to reform the process so that those who buy coins in the future will be supporting deficit reduction, rather than allowing government to pick one winner from a pool of many trying to do good things.