The list of members of Congress who have given up earmarks seems to grow by the day. According to the Club for Growth’s tally ^[1], it now totals 33 House members and seven senators. And despite the setback last week in the Senate, that hasn’t dissuaded members from coming out for a voluntary one-year moratorium.

Rep. Dave Reichert (R-Wash.) announced last Friday in a YouTube video ^[2] that he would voluntarily swear off earmarks ^[3] this year. Reichert said he was proud to support the GOP’s call for a moratorium in January. But with Democrats dawdling and Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) blocking action, Reichert decided to take matters into his own hands.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndtAXi5su-E[/youtube]

Reichert was joined last week by former Republican Study Committee Chairman Mike Pence (R-Ind.), who said it was time to end the practice of earmarking ^[4] as it currently exists. “After years of attempting to reform the earmarking system from within,” Pence said, “I have decided that I can no longer be a party to a deeply flawed system, and therefore, I will not be making any appropriation requests for fiscal year 2009.”

What’s striking about both Reichert and Pence is that both have had a penchant for pork in previous years. Their willingness to suddenly give it up in the name of reform is a positive development that other lawmakers should follow. They are leading by example, showing their constituents that there’s more to being a congressman than bringing home the bacon.