If Congress wants to go
back to its old earmarking ways, setting aside money for pet projects, wouldn’t
the contentious, shutdown-ending budget bill that finally passed on Wednesday
be the last place to tuck away some goodies?
back to its old earmarking ways, setting aside money for pet projects, wouldn’t
the contentious, shutdown-ending budget bill that finally passed on Wednesday
be the last place to tuck away some goodies?
Yes. But this is Congress.
They can’t help themselves.
They can’t help themselves.
According to the
Associated Press, the bill contains spending for upgrading a lock in the Ohio River
between Illinois and Kentucky; money to help Colorado rebuild roads washed away
by last month’s catastrophic floods; extra money to help the Veterans Affairs
Department whittle down a backlog of disabilities claims; and permission for
the Pentagon to keep helping African nations hunt a notorious warlord.
Associated Press, the bill contains spending for upgrading a lock in the Ohio River
between Illinois and Kentucky; money to help Colorado rebuild roads washed away
by last month’s catastrophic floods; extra money to help the Veterans Affairs
Department whittle down a backlog of disabilities claims; and permission for
the Pentagon to keep helping African nations hunt a notorious warlord.
“These people are like
alcoholics. They can’t resist taking a drink, It’s ridiculous. It’s absolutely
ridiculous,” Sen. John McCain told The Daily Beast.
alcoholics. They can’t resist taking a drink, It’s ridiculous. It’s absolutely
ridiculous,” Sen. John McCain told The Daily Beast.
Referring to a $2.9
billion water project inserted into the bill – already labeled the “Kentucky
Kickback” by conservative critics of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell –
McCain railed on:
billion water project inserted into the bill – already labeled the “Kentucky
Kickback” by conservative critics of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell –
McCain railed on:
“It should have gone through the normal
legislative process. It …shows that there are people in this body (who) are
willing to use any occasion to get an outrageous pork barrel project done at
the cost of millions and millions of dollars. It’s disgusting.”
legislative process. It …shows that there are people in this body (who) are
willing to use any occasion to get an outrageous pork barrel project done at
the cost of millions and millions of dollars. It’s disgusting.”
McConnell’s staff insists
that the Kentucky senator played no role in adding language to the bill that increases
the spending cap to upgrade the Olmstead lock on the Ohio River from $775
million to $2.9 billion.
that the Kentucky senator played no role in adding language to the bill that increases
the spending cap to upgrade the Olmstead lock on the Ohio River from $775
million to $2.9 billion.
It doesn’t help McConnell,
who faces a tea party primary challenge in the 2014 elections, that this project
has been plagued by 25 years of delays, engineering mistakes and cost overruns.
who faces a tea party primary challenge in the 2014 elections, that this project
has been plagued by 25 years of delays, engineering mistakes and cost overruns.
It also doesn’t help
McConnell that the two states that would benefit from the Ohio River
improvements are represented by two of the Senate’s most powerful members: the
Republican leader, McConnell, and No. 2 Democratic leader, Richard Durbin of
Illinois.
McConnell that the two states that would benefit from the Ohio River
improvements are represented by two of the Senate’s most powerful members: the
Republican leader, McConnell, and No. 2 Democratic leader, Richard Durbin of
Illinois.
So, it’s no surprise that
the Senate Conservative Fund, which may back McConnell’s election opponent,
called the spending authorization quietly placed into the budget/debt ceiling
bill “an insult to all Kentucky families.”
the Senate Conservative Fund, which may back McConnell’s election opponent,
called the spending authorization quietly placed into the budget/debt ceiling
bill “an insult to all Kentucky families.”
Aides to Sen. Lamar
Alexander, R-Tenn., and Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., the leaders of a
Senate Appropriations subcommittee have tried to come to the rescue. They say that
the subcommittee, which oversees water projects, had requested the provision,
with the support of the White House.
Alexander, R-Tenn., and Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., the leaders of a
Senate Appropriations subcommittee have tried to come to the rescue. They say that
the subcommittee, which oversees water projects, had requested the provision,
with the support of the White House.
The AP points out that the
35-page bill had only a handful of narrowly aimed provisions that resemble
earmarks. That’s a far cry from years ago, when spending bills would be studded
with hundreds of earmarks designed to enamor a lawmaker with his or her
constituents.
35-page bill had only a handful of narrowly aimed provisions that resemble
earmarks. That’s a far cry from years ago, when spending bills would be studded
with hundreds of earmarks designed to enamor a lawmaker with his or her
constituents.
In addition, Capitol Hill
supporters of the provisions tucked into the shutdown-ending bill say that they
are related to urgent needs that were exacerbated by the 2 ½-week closure of
much of the government.
supporters of the provisions tucked into the shutdown-ending bill say that they
are related to urgent needs that were exacerbated by the 2 ½-week closure of
much of the government.
Here’s how AP’s Alan Fram reported
on the situation:
on the situation:
In a boon for flood-battered Colorado, the measure
would lift the usual $100 million limit on Federal Highway Administration
emergency highway aid to $450 million for the state. Colorado officials have
said last month’s flooding destroyed 200 miles of roads and 50 bridges.
would lift the usual $100 million limit on Federal Highway Administration
emergency highway aid to $450 million for the state. Colorado officials have
said last month’s flooding destroyed 200 miles of roads and 50 bridges.
The legislation, which keeps federal agencies
functioning through Jan. 15, provides an extra $294 million during that period
for the Veterans Affairs Department’s efforts to reduce backlogged claims,
along with an additional $100 million to prevent furloughs of air traffic
controllers and safety inspectors, and extra money for the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration to continue work on two weather satellites.
functioning through Jan. 15, provides an extra $294 million during that period
for the Veterans Affairs Department’s efforts to reduce backlogged claims,
along with an additional $100 million to prevent furloughs of air traffic
controllers and safety inspectors, and extra money for the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration to continue work on two weather satellites.
It also:
* Lets the Defense Department continue assisting African
forces pursue Joseph Kony, leader of the Lord’s Resistance Army, a rebel group
accused of atrocities.
forces pursue Joseph Kony, leader of the Lord’s Resistance Army, a rebel group
accused of atrocities.
* Provides extra money for contracts with private
companies whose ships move American troops and their equipment overseas.
companies whose ships move American troops and their equipment overseas.
* Supplies $600 million for Forest Service firefighting
and $36 million for Interior Department firefighting.
and $36 million for Interior Department firefighting.
