$690 million in earmark spending
The FY 2009 Senate Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations bill contains 934 earmarks for a total cost of more than $690 million. The number of projects is down slightly from the FY08 Senate total of 941 projects, whereas the cost of the earmarks has increased 37% from $501 million. But the numbers are comparable to the House passed version of the legislation.
Here are some of the highlights:
* As Chairman of the Senate Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee, Sen. Harkin (D-IA) takes credit for 73 local earmarks worth $36,522,000 and another seven national projects worth $92,655,000. He partnered with Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE) to get $250,000 for the Washington Jesuit Academy in Washington, DC.
* Ranking Senator on the Subcommittee, Sen. Specter (R-PA) amasses 184 earmarks from the appropriations bill worth about $36.2 million. These include 22 earmarks worth $550,000 in abstinence earmarks for all over the country, including $25,000 for A+ for Abstinence.
* Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Sen. Cochran (R-MS) obtained 33 earmarks worth $55.2 million which includes $25 million for the Delta Health Alliance and 6 earmarks worth $11.2 million for his alma mater, the University of Mississippi. He also obtained earmarks for 9 national projects worth $98.6 million.
* Sen. Inouye (D-HI) obtained 27 earmarks worth $110.3 million including $250,000 for education purposes at the Polynesian Voyaging Society in Honolulu, HI. Sen. Stevens (R-AK) obtained 32 earmarks worth $135.1 million including $250,000 for the Alaska PTA, Anchorage, AK, to train parents in their roles and responsibilities under the No Child Left Behind Act.
* Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX, soon to be home to President Bush’s library, received $200,000 for construction, renovation and equipment courtesy of Sen. Hutchison (R-TX). All told, Sen. Hutchison delivered $3.1 million for Texas colleges and universities.
* Senate Majority Leader Reid (D-NV) got $100,000 for Western Folklife Center, in Elko, NV, for educational programming. The Western Folklife Center is regional nonprofit organization that works to “expand our understanding of ourselves and our neighbors by celebrating the everyday traditions of people who live and work in the American West.” They are best known for the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering.
This information was obtained form Taxpayers for Common Sense.
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Tags: 2009 Senate Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations bill, ben nelson, National Cowboy Poetry Gathering, Senate Appropriations Committee, Western Folklife Center
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July 18th, 2008 at 8:07 am
[...] There is nothing wrong with earmarks. Earmarks are when members of Congress direct approved funds to be spent on a specific project, usually something that benefits their constituency. If they don’t earmark the funds, the bureaucrats decide how to spend them. I’d rather have my elected representative decide than an unfireable bureaucrat any day. In fact, the Constitution defines this as one of the jobs and powers of Congress. [...]
July 18th, 2008 at 2:46 pm
Earmarks direct federal agencies to spend funds already authorized on specific projects. When funds are not earmarked, they do not go back to the taxpayer. the money goes back to the agencies to be spent any way the angency sees fit.
Unfortunatly, Congressmen get to choose whether or not to be transparent with their earmarks. In the past, Congressmen have use this earmarks self-servingly and/or stupidly, and if we’re not careful we end up with more bridges to nowhere.