$12 Billion in PORK

There are 4,128 earmarks (pork barrel appropriations) added on to H.R. 3 - Transportation Equity Act at a cost of $12.4 billion. They are not finished as the bill goes to the senate "earmarks" are expected to be $20 billion. $14 million is the minimum amount given out to every congresstional district, as long as the congressman supports the bill they get the money for their district. Anybody who sits on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee can expect $40-60 million, and House and committee leadership will get $90 million or more. This money comes from a tax on gasoline, 18.4 cents per gallon. You can see a breakdown of the pork spending here: http://www.taxpayer.net/Transportation/hr3database/writeup.htm example of pork: $3,000,000 - Renovate and expand National Packard Museum and adjacent Packard facilities in Warren, OH. $850,000 - Construction of bicycle and trolley path in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. This money is for building and maintaining our highways, not bicycle paths, especially with federal funds. In 1987 there were 157 earmarks in the bill and Reagan vetoed it because that was excessive. In 1992 the Republicans took over Congress and it balloons to 500 earmarks, 1998 it went to 1800 and now over 4000. Congress is out of control with waste, spending money to look good in their districts.