Pork Alert: Labor/HHS/Education

Business Wire, July 1, 2008

WASHINGTON -- Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) today released its preliminary analysis of the House version of the Fiscal 2009 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Act. In total, there are 1,370 earmarks worth a staggering $618.8 million of taxpayer money. This represents a 5 percent increase in number of projects, but a whopping 122 percent increase in dollar amounts over the FY 2008 version, which had 1,305 earmarks costing $277.9 million. The top three porkers are as follows: Neil Abercrombie (D-Hawaii), $168.5 million; Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), $161.3 million; and Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (D-S.D.), $148.5.

In typical Congressional fashion, the Labor/HHS bill is loaded with pork projects and wasteful spending from both Democrats and Republicans, including:

* $25 million by 30 House members (including the top three porkers in the bill) for the National Writing Project. The Department of Education (DoE) did not request the earmarked funds, since $3 billion already exists to improve the writing skills of professionally trained teachers. The program is described on the DoE website as a "sole source, noncompetitive award, by direction of Congress."

* $175,000 by House appropriator Adam Schiff (D-Ca.), Howard "Buck" McKeon (R-Ca.), and Mary Bono (R-Ca.) for the Autry National Center for the American West, which "explores the experiences and perceptions of the diverse peoples of the American West," according to its website.

* $150,000 by Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) for the American Ballet Theatre in New York for "educational activities." According to its website, "As of May 2008, over 65 donors have contributed a total of $28 million during the campaign's private drive."

* $100,000 by House appropriator Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio) for the Toledo GROWS High School Garden Learning Initiative, a "community gardening outreach program." According to their website, "Community gardens are safe, beautiful outdoor spaces on public or private lands, where neighbors meet to grow and care for vegetables, flowers and native plant species. The gardeners take initiative and responsibility for organizing, maintaining and managing the garden area."

Citizens Against Government Waste is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, mismanagement and abuse in government.