Washington, D.C. – Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) today released its preliminary analysis of H.R.3074, the Fiscal 2008 Departments of Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development Act, and Related Agencies.      

CAGW found XXX projects worth $xx billion in this year’s THUD bill, compared to XXXX projects worth $XX.X billion that were identified in CAGW’s 2007 Congressional Pig Book.  This represents a decrease of XX percent in the number of earmarks and a 38 percent decrease in the dollar amount.  The 2006 Congressional Pig Book identified 2,822 projects worth $14.9 billion, while the 2005 Congressional Pig Book found 2,606 with at a cost of $12.7 billion. 

Here are some of the more egregious pork projects added to the defense bill:

• Louis Armstrong House Museum in Flushing, NY for design and construction of a visitors center, $150,000, Rep. Ackerman, Sen. Schumer, Sen. Clinton
• City of Romney, WV for continued renovation and adaptive use of the Coca Cola Bottling plant as a cultural and arts center, $100,000, Rep. Capito
• Florida Sounthern College in Lakeland, FL for construction of library to house historic documents of Frank Loyd Wright, $200,000, Rep. Putnam
• Audie Murphy/American Cotton Museum in Greenville, TX, for construction of a memorial and building, $100,000, Rep. Ralph Hall
• City of Bellflower, CA for construction and buildout of the Los Angeles County Fire Museum, $500,000, Rep. Roybal-Allard
• City of Astoria, OR for planning, design and construction of the Chinese Heritage Park, $150,000, Rep. Wu
• Alpine Heritage Preservation in Thomas, WV for renovation and buildout of the historic Opera House, $200,000, Rep. Mollohan
• Bacon County Board of Commissioners in Bacon County, GA for restoration of an old school building for community use, $225,000, Rep. Kingston
• Barrington Stage Company in Pittsfileld, MA for renovation and buildout of the Berkshire Music Hall and Octagon House, $275,000, Rep. Olver
• Brooklyn Children’s Museum in Brooklyn, NY for renovation and construction of museum, $170,000, Rep. Clarke, Weiner and Sen. Schumer
• Carlisle Regional Performing Arts Center in Calisle, PA for renovation of the Carlisle Theater, $100,000, Rep. Platts
• Chicago Parks District in Chicago, IL for renovation of the historic Theatre on the Lake, $700,000, Rep. Emanuel
• City of Greenville, IL for construction of a business icubatoer, $150,000, Rep. Shimkus
• East Mississippi Community College Golden Triangle, MS for construction of a metal-working facility for job training, $500,000, Rep. Wicker
• Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum in Hatteras, NC for completion of construction of the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum, $150,000, Rep. Walter Jones

* airdropped in conference

Citizens Against Government Waste is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, mismanagement and abuse in government.