DEFICIENT BRIDGES VERSUS EARMARKS - which is a higher priority?
A 2008 report by American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) 1 in 4 USA Bridges need repairs. - $140 Billion Price Tag to Repair and Modernize America's Bridges | America's Bridges Still Falling Down July 31, 2008 CBS News
In the 2007 funding bills, Congress is considering some 32,000 requests including a beach nourishment project in San Diego, Calif., a duplicative visitors' center in Louisiana, and the unnecessary National Drug Intelligence Center in Johnstown, Pa., located in Rep. John Murtha's district. FY08 House THUD earmarks | Taxpayers for Common Sense database | Roll Call's Earmark Report
The 1981 transportation bill contained only 10 earmarks. President Reagan vetoed a transportation bill in 1987 that contained 121 earmarks, saying, “I haven't seen this much lard since I handed out blue ribbons at the Iowa State Fair.” By 1991, there were 538 earmarks, by 1998 1,850. Earmarks, Pork and Federal Budgets documentary video on PBS | Mr. Heath Goes to Washington
"Lack of prioritization is a huge problem for our nation’s transportation system. Take the 2005 transportation bill as an example. Transportation spending increased by $12.5 billion per year over six years, yet twenty-percent of that increase was used to fund a significant increase in earmarks. This bill contained 6,373 earmarks worth more than $24 billion. And to make matters worse, Congress did so amid ample warnings that the Highway Trust Fund (HTF) would be broke before the bill expired. Even after it become well known that the HTF could be hundreds of millions in the red by fiscal year 2009, another 1,400 earmarks worth more than $2.2 billion were added by the Congress and the administration to this year’s House transportation spending bill." Taxpayers for Common Sense
"Yet, no other episode demonstrated the structural flaws in our political process more than the Senate’s lopsided 82-15 vote in defense of the “Bridge to Nowhere” in 2005. The actual amendment I offered went beyond striking the bridge and challenged Congress’ approach to spending priorities. The amendment would have redirected funding from two dubious Alaska bridge projects -- the Gravina “Bridge to Nowhere” and the Knik Arm Bridge -- costing a combined $452 million to reconstruction of the Twin Spans Bridge in Louisiana that was damaged by Hurricane Katrina.
This vote is instructive because it was about much more than the bridges. Eighty-two Senators were not as interested in defending the bridges as much as their perceived right to pork. Congress’ refusal to make rationale decisions about competing priorities continues to be at the heart of the ongoing culture of corruption in Washington. What is disturbing in Congress today are not debates about competing priorities, but Congress’ refusal to acknowledge its own responsibility to set priorities. " Senator Tom Coburn
Read this article - Should this bridge be open?
Every state has interstate highway bridges that government inspectors have deemed structurally deficient. That means a bridge's deck, main structure or foundation were deemed to be in poor condition or worse because of deterioration or damage.
|
No. of bridges |
Deficient
bridges |
Sen. or Rep. |
Earmark - sampling (some are proposed) |
Amount |
Alabama |
1,169 |
29 |
Rep. Bud Cramer Rep Artur Davis |
Missile and Space Intelligence Center
National Voting Rights Interpretive Center
University of Alabama for “construction, renovation, equipment. |
$17 million
2006 -$528,693
2007 - $1 million
$11 million |
Alaska |
184 |
29 |
Rep Don Young Sen T. Stevens |
Road in Florida
Pacific Alaskan Range Complex
Northern Line Extension road to North Pole {82 mile highway bwn 2 villages}
The SeaLife Center has received over $50 million in federal money since 1998 due to Stevens. |
$10 million
$59,100,000
$4 million |
Arizona |
1,560 |
13 |
Rep. Harry Mitchell |
Expand runways at Williams Gateway Airport. Mesa |
$1.3 million |
Arkansas |
800 |
11 |
Rep. John Boozman |
Widening and extending the road in Bentonville, Arkansas that is the main access point to the headquarters of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. |
$37 million |
California |
3,761 |
505 |
Rep. Nancy Pelosi |
The Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center (EGCRC) Study alcohol abuse
Military Intelligence Service Historic Learning Center Education center to preserve the site of the U.S. Army’s first language school established in 1941
San Francisco Planning and Urban Research Association, a public policy think tank |
$5,500,000
$1,000,000
$231,000 |
Rep. Jerry Lewis |
To fund the Lewis Center for Education Research
Loma Linda University in Loma Linda, California, for a Space Radiation Health Research Program
General Atomics
Innovative Federal Strategies (IFS) |
$3 million
$2 million
$5 million |
Rep. Henry Waxman |
Skirball Cultural Center for play ark |
$550,000 |
Various Legislators |
Regents UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA 2005 |
$126,557,790 |
Colorado |
1,097 |
64 |
Rep. Doug Lamborn |
Joint National Integration Center |
$2.5 million |
Connecticut |
831 |
30 |
Rep. John Larson |
Our Piece of the Pie in Hartford |
$500,000 |
Delaware |
92 |
2 |
Sen Joe Biden /Carper |
Metropolitan Wilmington Urban League, for the Achievement Matters! Initiative
Christiana Care Women First Community Center for Excellence to link healthcare providers and consumers to better serve gender and ethnic differences in health
Jewish Family Service, for a naturally occurring retirement community demonstration project
Christiana Care Health System, Wilmington, DE, for construction, renovation and equipment.
Grand Opera House |
$100,000
$200,000
$150,000
$500,000
$250,000 |
District of .Columbia. |
64 |
2 |
Rep Jerry Lewis
Unknown
Unknown |
Unspecific upgrades — possibly a giant decorative arch, kiosks for merchants and concrete stools
Forest City Southeast Federal Center and Anacostia Waterfront Improvements
Kennedy Center construction program, for replacement of the glass wall in the Grand Foyer
Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars |
$500,000
$250,000
$3.8 million
$9,718,000 |
Florida |
1,776 |
11 |
Rep. Mahoney |
Indian Street Bridge project in Martin, Florida $88 million
Sen Don Young Alaska coconut road earmark |
$750,000
$10 million |
Georgia |
991 |
17 |
Rep. Jim Marshall |
Museum of Aviation Foundation
Massie Heritage Center for restoration of exhibits and equipment upgrades
Georgia Projects, Inc., for initiatives to assist English language learners.
Ralph Mark Gilbert Civil Rights Museum
Clayton College and State University for development of a Master of Arts in Archive degree program |
$350,000
$950,000.00
$225,000
$500,000
$300,000
|
Hawaii |
206 |
13 |
Sen. Daniel Inouye
Sen. Daniel Inouye |
Chitosan bandage component which utilizes natural compounds found in shrimp heads
Army Compatible Use Buffer Program (ACUB) Army objects to this program
The Polynesian Voyaging Society |
$4,500,000
$20 million
$250,000
|
Idaho |
390 |
17 |
Sen. Larry Craig |
Historic Wilson Theatre in Rupert, ID,
1902 schoolhouse restoration project in Chesterfield, ID
Gold Creek Ranch
Weed control project - Cooperative Weed Management Areas in Idaho |
$200,000
$450,000
$3.168 million
$1.5 million |
Illinois |
2,232 |
128 |
Rep. Rahm Emanuel
Rep. Jerry Costello |
Academy for Urban School Leadership
Chicago Park District's Theater on the Lake
Lincoln/Belmont/Ashland Avenues Streetscaping Project
Reconstruction of Mockingbird Lane and Stratford St Granite City IL |
$800,000
$1 million
$3 million
$2,000,000
|
Sen B Obama |
Paul Simon Public Policy Institute
River Tech Boulevard Road
Center for Advanced Design, Research, and Exploration
Chicago State University 3 grants
Chicago Park District
Lewis University Airport to accomodate corp jets |
$1,025,000
$1,595,000
$4,800,000
$9 million
$3 million
$3,420,000 |
Indiana |
1,486 |
39 |
|
Rep. Dan Burton
Rep. Brad Ellsworth |
Christian Sarkine Autism Treatment Center, Indiana
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and Science Applications International Corporation |
$2.5 million
$2 million |
Iowa |
646 |
56 |
|
|
I235 Storm Water Management Providence |
$1.5 million |
Kansas |
1,014 |
16 |
|
Rep. Nancy Boyda |
Regional Prisons Museum |
$1.18 million |
Kentucky |
751 |
23 |
|
Rep. Harold Rogers Rep. Harold Rogers |
2 earmarks for the Interstate 66 project in Kentucky |
$1 million |
Rural Domestic Preparedness Consortium increased by 20 percent from 2006 level |
$12 million |
Louisiana |
1,553 |
34 |
|
Rep. Rodney Alexander
|
City of Shreveport or renovations to a donated building
University of Louisiana at Monroe’s College of Pharmacy for building
University of Louisiana Business Center
Louisiana Tech University’s IDEA Place and SciTech Classroom |
$250,000
$300,000
$450,000
$250,000
|
Maine |
273 |
24 |
|
|
Gulf of Maine Ocean Observing System
add a sidewalk to the Penobscot Narrows Bridge
The Franco-American Heritage Center |
$4 million
$1 million
$300,000 |
Maryland |
864 |
25 |
|
Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger
Rep. Steny Hoyer
Rep. Steny Hoyer & Sen Mikulski Sen. Barbara Mikulski
Rep. Roscoe Bartlett |
"the national/tactical gateway"
In Tune Foundation Group
Extended ColdWeather Clothing System
College Park for blight removal along the Route 1 Corridor
Catoctin Aqueduct Project - to reconstruct a historic structure (built in 1832-34) as it appeared in the 19th Century, with cut stones, wrought iron rails and 3 beautiful stone arches. |
$17 million
$450,000
$9,500,000
$700,000
2007 - $450,000
2008 - $450,000 |
Massachusetts |
1,081 |
51 |
|
|
Rep. Olver |
16 earmarks including $275,000 for the private Barrington Stage Company to renovate the Berkshire Music Hall and Octagon House and $100,000 for a Massachusetts Landscape Connectivity Study |
T - $16.24 million |
Michigan |
1,196 |
194 |
|
|
Rep. Dingell
Rep. Knollenberg |
Fish mass marketing equipment
11 earmarks including $250,000 for Walsh College, a private college, for completion of its library
Henry Ford Museum in Michigan |
$2 million
T- $6.25 million
$1.5 million |
Minnesota |
715 |
30 |
|
|
Rep. Jim Oberstar |
Construction of Gitchi-Gami State Trail
Construct recreational visitor center
Construct a bike trail
Munger Trail extension
Heritage Center at the Grand
Portage National Monument |
$900,000
$1,300,000
$540,000
$2,500,000
$1,400,000
T-$250 million
|
Mississippi |
766 |
1 |
|
|
|
MSU research and development and in industrial outreach. |
$37.1 million |
Missouri |
1,026 |
31 |
|
|
Sen. Kit Bond |
Mid-America Research and Development Foundation
Brushcreek Beautification |
$500,000
$250,000 |
Montana |
818 |
8 |
|
|
Sen. Max Baucus |
Daly Preservation Trust |
$400,000 |
Nebraska |
343 |
7 |
|
|
Rep. Fortenberry |
Antelope Valley Transportation Improvements
Girls and Boys Town USA, for construction of facilities at priority national projects
"The Company That Congress Built." - 21st Century Systems Inc. |
$500,000
$250,000
$40 million |
Nevada |
473 |
5 |
|
|
Sen Harry Reid
Sen Harry Reid |
Eradicate Mormon crickets
Post Office Museum in Las Vegas
Grant Sawyer Center Justice Education Program, for operating support and scholarships for judges in the Judicial Studies degree program
H.O.P.E. Center of Shade Tree Domestic Abuse Center |
$20 million
$200,000
$200,000
$400,000 |
New Hampshire |
361 |
31 |
|
|
|
Chocorua Village Safety Improvement Project |
|
$500,000 |
New Jersey |
1,053 |
27 |
|
|
|
National Transit Institute |
$4.3 million |
New Mexico |
880 |
76 |
|
|
|
Vallecitos High Country
Competitive grants under the Community Forest Restoration Act
Valles Caldera Trust for management activities at the Valles Caldera National Preserve |
$2,025,000
$5 million
$4 million |
New York
Brooklyn Bridge video on NYT site |
2,090 |
104 |
|
|
Rep. Charles B. Rangel
Sens. Hillary Clinton and Charles Schumer
|
City College of New York for the Charles B. Rangel Center for Public Service to prepare individuals for careers in public service, which may include establishing an endowment, library and archives for such center |
WiFi Service of Albany
Fruit Belt Redevelopment Plan
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, for The Women’s Cancer Genomics Center.
Albany Medical Center, Albany, NY, for the establishment of the Patient Safety Center.
Museum at Bethel Hills
New York Botanical Garden’s Virtual Herbarium |
$3 million
$200,000
$1.6 million
$900,000
$500,000
$1 million
$500,000 |
North Carolina |
983 |
40 |
|
|
|
South Corridor Light Rail project
Teapot Museum in Sparta |
$55 million
$500,000 |
North Dakota |
205 |
3 |
|
|
|
Lewis and Clark Legacy Trail |
$800,000 |
Ohio |
2,288 |
70 |
|
|
Rep. David Hobson
Rep. S. Tubbs Jones |
Canton Symphony Orchestra Association
Buckeye State Sheriff’s Association in Columbus, Ohio, which provides information about technology, legislative action, and law enforcement news to the Ohio sheriffs.
Transit improvements at Eastlake Stadium
Construct the Cleveland Towpath Trail
Ohio University Airport Improvements
Sherman Williams paint company |
$100,000
$1,000,000
$4 million
$4,640,000
$800,000
$2 million |
Oklahoma |
1,114 |
190 |
|
|
|
Bus and Para-transit Vans - Oklahoma City
KIPP Reach College Preparatory in Oklahoma City
Downtown Lawton Revitalization Project |
$300,000
$250,000
$250,000 |
Oregon |
614 |
80 |
|
|
Rep. D. Hooley
Rep. Walden
Rep. David Wu |
I 84 Sandy River Delta Project
Putting the OR in pork
“Floriculture and Nursery Crops” research in Beltsville, Md
Regional Barley Gene Mapping Project
Shellfish Genetics Research, Newport
Elk Creek Lake permanent trap facility
Middleford Commons City of Medford
Columbia Gorge Urban Waterfront Recreation Project
InSport Tshirts that melt onto Marines' skin |
$1 million
$2.4 million
$675,000
$774,966
$11 million
$1,000,000
$2,500,000
$2 million |
Pennsylvania |
2,018 |
221 |
|
|
Rep. John Murtha
Rep. John Murtha
Rep. Bill Shuster
Rep Fattah |
National Drug Intelligence Center
Southwest PA. Heritage Foundation
Road improvements around PSU professional baseball stadium.
Scranton Housing and Community Space Initiative
Community College of Allegheny County for technical education programs, lobbying, equipment
Philadelphia Art Museum’s main façade. wife on board |
$23 million
$1.2 million
$500,000
$200,000
$8.5 million
2005 - $645,000
$100,000
|
Sen. Arlen Specter
Sen R. Casey & Specter
Sen R. Casey |
Ben Franklin Museum in Phila
Susquehanna University (private) for lab equipment for a science facility
Dillerville Rail Yard Relocation project in Lancaster County
US Route 30/Harrisburg Pike Gateway Interchange Project,
Valley View Business Park Access Road in Lackawanna County
Phila, Univ. - National Textile Center (NTC): Funding to continue and enhance research currently conducted at a multi-university consortium
Medical Education Development Consortium, Scranton, PA, for construction
Reading’s Lighting and Street Enhancement Initiative |
$2,000,000
$750,000
$1.5 million
$2 million
$1 million
$1,625,000
$1 million
$250,000 |
Rhode Island |
137 |
33 |
|
|
Sen. Jack Reed
Sens. Reed & Whitehouse |
Block Island State Airport to make more aircraft parking spaces
Improving Literacy Through School Libraries
Old Slater Mill Association in Pawtucket, Rhode Island
Meeting Street, Providence, Rhode Island for a rec. facility
Rhode Island National Wildlife Refuge Complex |
$920,000
$217,606
$248,000
$400,000
$1 million |
South Carolina |
709 |
18 |
|
|
|
A bridge that will connect the two small towns of Lone Star (Pop. 1,066) and Rimini (Pop. 817)Road to Ruin |
$27.08 Million |
South Dakota |
451 |
26 |
|
|
Sen. John Thune |
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology |
$3,335,000 |
Tennesse |
1,423 |
37 |
|
|
|
Bike trail in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. |
$9 million |
Texas |
6,211 |
54 |
|
|
Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison |
Temple for the Downtown Redevelopment/Performing Arts Center |
$200,000 |
Utah |
830 |
41 |
|
|
Sen. Orrin Hatch
Rep. Cannon
Rep. Matheson |
Provo City downtown parking structure
The Legacy Highway Road to Ruin
Riverton City for reconstruction of a historic building for a senior center and community center
City of Eagle Mountain for park development to complete Phase I of the economic development area in Eagle Mountain City
Western Mining and Railroad Museum for construction and renovation of an addition to the museum to improve accessibility |
$200,000
$300,000
$300,000
$150,000 |
Vermont |
313 |
40 |
|
|
Rep Welch
Sen. P. Leahy |
Snowmobile trails in Vermont
Highgate Recreational Center for renovation of a recreational center
to fund the celebration of Lake Champlain’s 400th Anniversary |
$7 million
$200,000
$100,000 |
Virginia |
1,648 |
49 |
|
|
Rep. Jo Ann Davis |
Blue Ridge Music Center in Virginia
Mariner's Museum for promoting development and tourism related to the USS Monitor Center |
$2.5 million
$100,000 |
Washington |
937 |
10 |
|
|
Rep. Norm Dicks
Rep. Doc Hastings
Sens. P. Murray & Maria Cantwell |
eponymous project Nat. Bur. for Asian Research in Seattle
Construction at the Walter Clore Wine and Culinary Center in Prosser, WA
Northwest Maritime Center
|
$1.5 million
$250,000
$450,000 |
Sen. Patty Murray |
Vegetable shelf-life research
Washington Family Forest Foundation to complete a State private landowner management database
Seattle's South Lake Union Streetcar
Sound Transit's light-rail project.
Olympic Discovery Trail/Elwha River pedestrian bridge Clallam County
Rainier Vista Boys & Girls Club |
$1.65 million
$1 million
$1.15 million
$100 million
$575,000
$500,000 |
West Virginia |
654 |
49 |
|
|
Rep. Alan Mollohan
Rep. Capito
Rep. Mollohan |
The New York Times (4/08/06) directed to five nonprofit organizations that he set up.
City of Romney for continued renovation and adaptive reuse of the Coca Cola Bottling Plant as a cultural arts center
Marion County for renovation, construction build out at the 4-H camp
Alpine Heritage Preservation for renovation and build out of the historic opera house |
$250 million
$100,000
$150,000
$100,000 |
Wisconsin |
1,130 |
96 |
|
|
Rep. David Obey |
CAP Services Inc. for capitalization of a revolving loan fund for small business development
North Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission for capitalization of a revolving loan for new business development
Douglas County for extension of sewer and water utilities to the Parkland Industrial Park |
$500,000
$400,000
$500,000 |
Wyoming |
922 |
69 |
|
|
Rep. Cubin |
Citizens for a Civic Auditorium for construction of a multipurpose Casper Civic Auditorium facility
Ark Memorial Foundation for completion of construction of a national Creative Arts Center |
$200,000
$150,000 |
Source: The Road Improvement Project, 2005 survey |
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GovTrack.us |
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What is an earmark?
An earmark is a line-item that is inserted into a bill to direct funds to a specific project or recipient without any public hearing or review. Members of Congress—both in the House and the Senate—use earmarks to direct funds to projects of their choice. Typically earmarks fund projects in the district of the House member or the state of the Senator who inserted it; the beneficiary of the funds can be a state or local agency or a private entity; often, the ultimate beneficiary is a political supporter of the legislator. Earmarks are the principal means by which Members of Congress “bring home the bacon.” Sunlight Foundation
Government Performance Project | Government Integrity - The Power of Facts from the Web
Save a tree - use a digital answer format - Highlight the text. Copy it. Paste it in a word processing document. Save the document in your folder. Answer on the word processing document in a contrasting color (not yellow) or font (avoid , or other ornate artistic fonts). Save frequently as you work. Or perhaps you have the resources to record verbal answers. If you do, be sure to first read / record the question. Then record the answer immediately after it.
Proof your responses. It is funny how speling errors and typeos sneak in to the bets work.
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