$221 million in earmark spending

The FY 2009 Senate Financial Services Appropriations bill contains 90 earmarks worth $221.3 million. The Financial Services spending bill includes funding for the Department of the Treasury, the Executive Office of the President (EOP), the judiciary, the District of Columbia, and 20 independent agencies.

Here are some of the highlights:

* Chairman of the Financial Services Appropriations Subcommittee Sen. Richard Durbin (D-IL) obtained 8 earmarks worth $5,060,000 including $500,000 for the First Responder Education Initiative at Benedictine University. This same earmark was solely sponsored by Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) in FY 2008. Sen. Obama has since sworn off earmarks.

* Ranking Member of the Subcommittee Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS) obtained 7 earmarks for $4,975,000. One of these earmarks, totaling $2,250,000, is directed to several organizations, including the National Center for Fatherhood to administer Marriage Development Accounts in the District of Columbia.

* Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) obtained $1,000,000 for Myrtle Beach International Trade & Convention Center, Myrtle Beach, SC. The convention center hosts many events including: Annual Doll Sale and Show; Mustang Week; and Prehistoric Adventures’ feature Dinosaur George.

* Senior Appropriator Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) obtained a $125,000,000 increase over the President’s budget for the FDA expansion in Montgomery County.

* Subcommittee Member Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL) obtained a $25,000,000 earmark for a Federal Building in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

This information is available at Taxpayers for Common Sense,

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