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2006 budget includes 29 billion in pork barrel spending { April 5 2006 } Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)    http://msnbc.msn.com/id/12169524/ http://msnbc.msn.com/id/12169524/ Congressional pork includes some real stinkers Federal government earmarks $29 billion for pet projects, watchdog says By Josh Belzman Cover producer MSNBC Updated: 4:50 p.m. ET April 5, 2006 While cutting back on many pet projects, lawmakers have included some real stinkers in federal spending bills for 2006, according to a watchdog group that announced its annual Washington pork menu on Wednesday. * $13.5 million for an Irish group that funds the World Toilet Summit? * $1 million for water-free urinals? * $500,000 for a teapot museum? Those projects, and nearly 10,000 others, account for a record $29 billion in federal pork-barrel spending for the current budget year, Citizens Against Government Waste said. Spending on local line-items rose 6.2 percent last year, the group said, but the overall number of questionable projects crammed into 11 federal appropriation bills was down 29 percent. Pork — generally defined as local projects folded into spending bills without a hearing — has long been a favorite target of government watchdogs. A ballooning national debt, growing war costs and huge reconstruction costs along the storm-ravaged Gulf Coast have raised pork hunting to new heights. “In addition to the lobbying scandal, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita have magnified the need for prioritizing federal spending,” the group wrote in its 16th annual Congressional Pig Book, which highlights 375 pork-barrel projects totaling $3.4 billion in spending. “If the federal government is to pay for the reconstruction of the Gulf Coast, it should do so without going further in debt.” The group estimates the government has allocated $241 billion for pork-barrel projects since 1991. Once again, Alaska takes the bacon as the most pork-laden state, the group said. Congress has earmarked $490 per capita for projects in the sparsely populated state, down from $985 in 2005. Hawaii, at $378 per capita, and the District of Columbia, at $182, are next on the list. “Alaska’s drop can be attributed to Sen. Ted Stevens’ descent from the throne as Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman,” Citizens Against Government Waste said. Stevens, a veteran Republican lawmaker who now heads the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, caused a furor last year by trying to push through $230 million in federal funding for a rural transportation project dubbed “the bridge to nowhere.” The proposed span would have led to an island populated by about 50 people. Republicans scuttled funding for the project after it became a symbol for pork run amok. Based on the $325 million Stevens has won for Alaska projects for 2006, the CAGW bestowed upon him its Cold Shoulder Award, one of several “Oinkers” given to lawmakers. Members of Stevens’ staff refused to comment on Wednesday. Some of the other “bridge to nowhere” projects identified in the CAGW’s “Pig Book” include: * $13,500,000 for the International Fund for Ireland, which helped finance the World Toilet Summit * $6,435,000 for wood utilization research * $1,000,000 for the Waterfree Urinal Conservation Initiative * $500,000 for the Sparta Teapot Museum in Sparta, N.C. * $550,000 for the Museum of Glass in Tacoma, Wash. * $500,000 for the Arctic Winter Games in Alaska * $250,000 for the National Cattle Congress in Waterloo, Iowa * $234,000 for the National Wild Turkey Federation * $100,000 for the Richard Steele Boxing Club in Henderson, Nev. To search the group's database for pork projects in your state, visit: http://www.cagw.org/ © 2006 MSNBC Interactive How "pork" projects are defined A "pork" project is a line-item in an appropriations bill that designates tax dollars for a specific purpose in circumvention of established budgetary procedures, according to Citizens Against Government Waste. To qualify as "pork" and merit inclusion in the Pig Book, the group says a project must meet at least one of these seven criteria, but most satisfy at least two: * Requested by only one chamber of Congress * Not specifically authorized * Not competitively awarded * Not requested by the president * Greatly exceeds the president’s budget request or the previous year’s funding * Not the subject of congressional hearings * Serves only a local or special interest Source: Citizens Against Government Waste

2006 budget includes 29 billion in pork barrel spending { April 5 2006 } 2006 elections could be most costly in history { October 24 2006 } Abramoff tribes donated funds to lawmakers Airlines gave congress { October 20 1999 } Airlines spend millions { October 14 2002 } Avoid softmoney ban { November 2 2002 } Biggest defense contractors heavy lobby influence in washington Bribed congressman wore wire in plea deal Bush fundraiser { June 13 2002 } Bush insider trading { July 3 2002 } Bush loans { July 11 2002 } Bush photos with abramoff defended by whitehouse { January 23 2006 } Bush raised 90 mill Bush raising artform { October 17 2002 } Business groups to cut funds to representatives over cafta { June 12 2005 } California congressman admits taking bribes California republican takes from foreign lobbies { November 3 2006 } Campaign fiance fails test { November 27 2002 } Campaign finance law struck down { May 2 2003 } Cheney suit dismissed { December 9 2002 } Cia deputy house searched over congress bribery { May 12 2006 } Companies make employees donate political campaigns { September 3 2004 } Congress members taken 16m in privately financed trips Congressman gets homes yachts antique furnishings Congressman lobby job heightens revolving door fear { December 17 2004 } Congressman takes 100k in bribes Corrupt congress has lobbyist write their legislation { October 27 2006 } Defense contractor pleads guilty to briding lawmaker { February 25 2006 } Delay aides face charges on cracker barrel funds { September 22 2004 } Democrats travel costs linked to lobbyist { May 4 2005 } Details of maryland soft money { September 25 2003 } Developer paid lawmakers for county highway Drugmakers are biggest lobby to sway congress Finance loopholes { June 21 2002 } Former lobbyist gets 2 million { July 10 2006 } Gop threats halted gao cheney suit { February 19 2003 } Hill leaders often take corporate jets { May 5 2005 } Indian tribes pay 45m to lobbyists Influence peddling in congress prosperous industry { June 22 2005 } Justices split on campaign finance { September 9 2003 } Ken starr fights finance Lawmakers lobbyists keep constant contact { June 28 2004 } Lobbyist abramoff buys ohio congressman { October 18 2005 } Lobbyist laundered tribal funds to israel Mccain accuses softmoney corrupts colleagues { October 15 1999 } Most polled say both parties corrupt { December 2005 } New campaign finance { July 9 2002 } New soft money { August 25 2002 } No ethics rules stop lawmakers accepting bribes { August 4 2005 } Ohio congressman takes scotland trip by scanlon One billion on ads Pelosi accused pork barrel { February 21 2003 } Perdue pushes ethics on firm lawmaker revolving door Pork increases with lawmakers earmarks { January 27 2006 } Power came with plate for lobbyist abramoff { July 6 2005 } Push bush probe { July 21 2002 } Senate deal offers tobacco regulation buyout of growers Senate OKs bill to protect corporations from lawsuits Senator kills political finance reform { October 12 1999 } Senator reid calls congress most corrupt in history Some in gop regretting pork stuffed highway bill { November 5 2005 } Supreme court mccain feingold ruling { December 11 2003 } White house environment advisor gets job at exxonmobile Files Listed: 63

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