Highlighting earmarks

Last week I had a post on the $410 billion omnibus spending bill making it’s way through Congress.  Senator McCain (R-AZ) had this to say during Senate debate before his amendment to remove the earmarks was voted down.

“How does anyone justify some of these earmarks: $1.7 million for pig odor research in Iowa; $2 million “for the promotion of astronomy” in Hawaii; $6.6 million for termite research in New Orleans; $2.1 million for the Center for Grape Genetics in New York.”

Here are some more earmarks included in the bill. 

$1,049,000 for grasshoppers and Mormon crickets  – sponsored by Sen. Bennett

$1,049,000 for the Jack Berryman Institute  and Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Experiment Station, Utah and Mississippi – sponsored by Sens. Bennett, Cochran and Wicker

$5,024,000 for Sugarbeet/Avian Disease and Oncology Labs – sponsored by Sens. Levin and Stabenow

$2,494,000 for Climate forcasting – sponsored by Sens. Martinez and Bill Nelson, and Reps. Brad Miller, Allen Boyd, Mario Diaz-Balart, and Lincoln Diaz-Balart

$4,602,000 for Pasture Systems and Watershed Management Research – sponsored by Sen. Specter and Rep. Tim Holden

$9,534,000 for Minerals Dietary Requirements for Good Health – sponsored by Sens. Conrad and Dorgan, and Rep. Earl Pomeroy

Michelle has the vote breakdown on the amendment.

Taxpayers for Common Sense has a database of the biggest earmarkers for the bill on the Senate side.

As for 8th District Congressman Steve Kagen, it’s not known exactly how many earmarks he’s on the hook for.  However he did vote for this ridiculous spending bill.

How do you justify your vote Congressman Kagen?