Report says Rep. Broun overspent

Republican Rep. Paul Broun of Athens is defending against a Capitol Hill newspaper report saying he’s out of money. Citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter, the newspaper Roll Call said Broun has already spent nearly half of his total annual budget of $1.4 million to pay for letters, telephone messages and other communications with constituents. He may be forced to get help covering staff salaries and other basic expenses in the coming months, the report said. Broun's spokeswoman declined to say how much money the congressman has spent or has remaining in his official congressional budget.

Georgia Republicans vow no ear-marking

Half of Georgia’s Republicans have committed to end earmarking in the US House and pledged to give up pet spending requests for their districts. Paul Broun of Athens, Nathan Deal of Gainesville, Tom Price of Roswell, and Lynne Westmoreland of Granstville say they will forgo earmarks for at least one year.

Most of them are relatively new members who don’t have the seniority to fetch much spending. They are making their stand after their party lost power in the last election.

Democrat Sanford Bishop of Albany said, “It seems to me to be a little hypocritical given the fact that Republicans broke the record on earmarks when they were in the position to control them.”

But the Republicans say quitting earmarking will help reign in free-spending in Washington.

(The Associated Press)

Congressman wants additional storm-damaged counties included in assistance request

A Georgia congressman wants Governor Sonny Perdue to request expedited federal assistance for counties in eastern Georgia damaged by this weekend's storms.

Only Atlanta and Fulton County made it to Perdue's request for expedited federal assistance.

But the storms wreaked havoc statewide.

And U.S. Rep. Paul Broun (R-Athens) says Perdue should include 10 counties in the 10th congressional district in that request.

But officials with the Georgia Emergency Management Agency say they typically place the hardest hit area in the state on such a list.

They say it makes getting a disaster declaration for both Atlanta/Fulton County and other counties ravaged by the storm faster and easier, rather than assessing multiple counties at once.

"Those that are eligible can be added on in less complicated fashion than getting the initial one," says Ken Davis, a spokesman for the Georgia Emergency Management Agency. "Getting the initial declaration is the key."

State officials are still awaiting word on the status of the request.

Officials say they do not yet have a dollar amount on how much damage the storms caused statewide.