RonPaulFanInGA
12-07-2010, 11:34 AM
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20101207006556/en/Taxpayers-Earmarks-WashingtonWatch.com-Taxpayers-Common-Sense-Launch
Taxpayers Against Earmarks, WashingtonWatch.com & Taxpayers for Common Sense Launch Comprehensive Earmark Request Database
WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Three leading government transparency advocacy groups – Taxpayers Against Earmarks, WashingtonWatch.com and Taxpayers for Common Sense – today launched the first comprehensive database of more than 39,000 congressional earmark requests submitted for 2011 totaling $130 billion. The database is available online at www.endingspending.com, www.washingtonwatch.com, and www.taxpayer.net.
“Even though some members of Congress insisted that it was technologically impossible or would cost too much to create an earmark requests database, our three groups were able to build a database in less than six months for less than $100,000,” said Stephanie Mesick, Director of Research and Outreach for Taxpayers Against Earmarks. “This database allows voters to review all earmark requests in one central place. Given the Senate’s failure to follow the House of Representatives in passing an earmark moratorium, the earmark request database is needed now more than ever to hold Members’ feet to the fire before their earmarks are considered and approved.”
“With this database, the American people will finally be able to sift through the tens of thousands of requests seeking $130 billion,” said Ryan Alexander, President of Taxpayers for Common Sense. “Lawmakers literally signed on the dotted line that these requests represented a good investment of taxpayer dollars. Now the public can investigate and see if they agree with their elected officials.”
Fiscal Year 2011 Congressional Earmark Requests
DATA SUMMARY & HIGHLIGHTS
Earmark Request Examples From The Database
* Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MS): $1,000,000 to support infrastructure expansion along the Beach Park Promenade waterfront (City of Pascagoula, MS)
* Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND): $500,000 to support cool season legume research (recipient: University of Idaho College of Agriculture)
* Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA): $400,000 to restore the Flynn Mansion (recipient: Living History Farms)
* Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK): $1,000,000 to provide leadership training to school administrators (recipient: Tulsa Public School System, Oklahoma)
* Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN): $250,000 to purchase a back-up generator for a wastewater facility (recipient: Town of Munster, Indiana)
* Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE): $150,000 to develop and promote new and existing education programs, exhibits, trails and services (recipient: Lewis & Clark Interpretive Trail and Visitors Center Foundation)
* Sen. Tom Udall (D-NM): $188,000 to develop a media resource center to promote the cultural richness of hot air balloons (recipient: Albuquerque International Balloon Museum Foundation)
* Rep. Mark Critz (D-PA): $10,000,000 to establish the John P. Murtha Center for Public Service (recipient: John P. Murtha Foundation)
* Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX): $2.5 million to redevelop historic downtown area and to purchase trash cans, bike racks and decorative street lighting (recipient: City of Baytown, Texas)
* Rep. Don Young (R-AK): $26,000,000 to construct new addition onto existing swimming pool facility (recipient: Fort Richardson, Alaska)
Taxpayers Against Earmarks, WashingtonWatch.com & Taxpayers for Common Sense Launch Comprehensive Earmark Request Database
WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Three leading government transparency advocacy groups – Taxpayers Against Earmarks, WashingtonWatch.com and Taxpayers for Common Sense – today launched the first comprehensive database of more than 39,000 congressional earmark requests submitted for 2011 totaling $130 billion. The database is available online at www.endingspending.com, www.washingtonwatch.com, and www.taxpayer.net.
“Even though some members of Congress insisted that it was technologically impossible or would cost too much to create an earmark requests database, our three groups were able to build a database in less than six months for less than $100,000,” said Stephanie Mesick, Director of Research and Outreach for Taxpayers Against Earmarks. “This database allows voters to review all earmark requests in one central place. Given the Senate’s failure to follow the House of Representatives in passing an earmark moratorium, the earmark request database is needed now more than ever to hold Members’ feet to the fire before their earmarks are considered and approved.”
“With this database, the American people will finally be able to sift through the tens of thousands of requests seeking $130 billion,” said Ryan Alexander, President of Taxpayers for Common Sense. “Lawmakers literally signed on the dotted line that these requests represented a good investment of taxpayer dollars. Now the public can investigate and see if they agree with their elected officials.”
Fiscal Year 2011 Congressional Earmark Requests
DATA SUMMARY & HIGHLIGHTS
Earmark Request Examples From The Database
* Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MS): $1,000,000 to support infrastructure expansion along the Beach Park Promenade waterfront (City of Pascagoula, MS)
* Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND): $500,000 to support cool season legume research (recipient: University of Idaho College of Agriculture)
* Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA): $400,000 to restore the Flynn Mansion (recipient: Living History Farms)
* Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK): $1,000,000 to provide leadership training to school administrators (recipient: Tulsa Public School System, Oklahoma)
* Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN): $250,000 to purchase a back-up generator for a wastewater facility (recipient: Town of Munster, Indiana)
* Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE): $150,000 to develop and promote new and existing education programs, exhibits, trails and services (recipient: Lewis & Clark Interpretive Trail and Visitors Center Foundation)
* Sen. Tom Udall (D-NM): $188,000 to develop a media resource center to promote the cultural richness of hot air balloons (recipient: Albuquerque International Balloon Museum Foundation)
* Rep. Mark Critz (D-PA): $10,000,000 to establish the John P. Murtha Center for Public Service (recipient: John P. Murtha Foundation)
* Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX): $2.5 million to redevelop historic downtown area and to purchase trash cans, bike racks and decorative street lighting (recipient: City of Baytown, Texas)
* Rep. Don Young (R-AK): $26,000,000 to construct new addition onto existing swimming pool facility (recipient: Fort Richardson, Alaska)