Washington, D.C.  Congressional Democrats promised a more transparent appropriations process with fewer earmarks after they regained control of the House and Senate.  For the first time, there are names of members of Congress included in the fiscal 2008 Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations Act.  But there were 226 pork-barrel projects in the bill, totaling $111 million.  Democrats chalked up $66.5 million in pork, or 55 percent of the projects.  Republicans received $47 million in pork, or 45 percent of the projects.  Appropriations Committee members, comprising 15 percent of the House, took more then their fair share of bacon with 49 percent of all pork projects in the bill.  In one program, Save America’s Treasures, all 43 projects, worth $6 million, went to appropriators.  The new majority has not changed the “interior” of the House.

• $5.9 million for six projects added by House Interior, Environment Subcommittee Chairman Norm Dicks (D-Wash.), including:  $2.5 million for endangered species grants for the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation; $2 million for the city of Belfair for a wastewater treatment plant; and $150,000 for the Bremerton Public Library restoration.
• $2.8 million for five projects added by House Interior, Environment Subcommittee Ranking Member Todd Tiahrt (R-Kansas), including:  $1.2 million for the Eisenhower Memorial Commission and $225,000 for the Brown Mansion.
• $2.3 million for four projects added by House appropriator John Murtha (D-Pa.), including: $1.2 million for the Southwest Pennsylvania Heritage Preservation Commission; $250,000 for the Fort Neccessity National Battlefield; and $150,000 for the W.A. Young & Sons Foundry in Greene County.
• $2 million added by House appropriator Zach Wamp (R-Tenn.) for the Moccasin Bend National Archeological District.
• $200,000 added by House Interior, Environment Subcommittee member Ed Pastor (D-Ariz.) for the George Washington Carver High School in Phoenix.

More transparency; same old earmarks; business as usual on Capitol Hill.

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