Pig Book Finds Members of Congress Squealing for Money
WASHINGTON, April 5- As two snorting pigs duked it out over crumbs of buttered corn cakes, members of Congress were recognized for their pork-barrel spending Wednesday by the 2006 Pig Book released by Citizens Against Government Waste.
The event, similar in style and setup to a high school pep rally, featured, in addition to the real pigs, a mascot dressed as a pig, Oscar-variety pig trophies, and trinkets such as a pig-snout mask.
The “Oinkers” of 2006, those who are recognized for their pork spending achievements, included Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, winner of “The Cold Shoulder Award” for more than $300 million in spending in Alaska, and U.S. Rep. Vernon Ehlers, R-Mich., “The Flushing Our Money Down the Toilet Award” for $1 million in spending for the Waterfree Urinal Conservation Initiative.
Tom Schatz, president of Citizens Against Government Waste, said he had hoped to see a change in congressional spending this year, especially after the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal and former U.S. Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham’s prison sentencing.
“It is clear that our representatives and senators have shamelessly pursued their pork once again,” Mr. Schatz said.
According to Mr. Schatz, the 2006 Pig Book “records a record amount of money” being spent in fiscal year 2006 on what the organization identified as pork projects-$29 billion, more than double the 1996 total of $12.5 billion.
The Pig Book defines pork as spending that meets at least one of seven criteria: requested by only one chamber of Congress; not specifically authorized; not competitively awarded; no requested by the President; greatly exceeds the President’s budget request; not the subject of congressional hearings; and serves only a local or special interest.
Citizens Against Government Waste also ranks states based on “pork per capita,” to show how much the federal government spends per person for pork projects in each state. While Alaska topped the list with pork per capita spending of $489.87, Massachusetts dropped seven spots, from 39 th to 46 th . Per capita pork spending in the state was $18.25. The national average was $30.55.
Pork spending in Massachusetts totaled $116 million for 143 pork projects, including $100,000 for the Cape Cod Memorial Statue Gateway/Walkway, $1.4 million for the Bass River Park Gateway in Dennis and $40,000 for the Coastal Massachusetts Ecosystem Restoration.
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., an outspoken opponent of wasteful spending, joined Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., as guest speakers at a press conference to celebrate the 15 th annual release of the book.
“Earmarks are the gateway drug to overspending,” Mr. Coburn said. “We are overspending, and what we are spending is future opportunities for our children and grandchildren.”
Mr. McCain acknowledged that he has pushed for projects in his state in the past but now is trying to make the process more transparent.
“We’re not saying all these projects are bad,” Mr. McCain said. “We’re saying that they haven’t gone through a legitimate process.”
Bill Frenzel, a former House member who currently serves in the economic studies program at the Brookings Institution, said that although “pork lies in the eye of the beholder,” Congress has not taken enough action to make the earmark process crystal clear.
“They may be for wonderfully noble things,” he said, “but Congress hasn’t held hearings on them and because one member is highly placed, he can get them [earmarks] placed strategically in bills and voted on at the last minute.”
Citizens Against Government Waste is a non-profit, non-partisan organization whose mission, according to its Web site, is “to eliminate waste, mismanagement and inefficiency in the federal government.”
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