House Bill Loaded With $6.5B the Pentagon Doesn't Want

The new majority is not as kosher as they claim to be

(NEWSER) - Democrats in Congress pledged to cut the pork out of appropriations bills, but the new majority is already cheating on the diet, reports the Washington Post. Using a technique called "phonemarking," congressmen are contacting federal agencies directly and asking them to fund their pet projects, all while boasting that their bills contain no earmarks. Changes in wording are used to disguise special-interest spendings; More»

Just a coincidence that pork benefits own real estate, they say

(NEWSER) - Members of Congress are not only steering earmarks to their own districts, but also their own backyards, funding projects that boost the value of properties they own, a Washington Post investigation finds. Comparing disclosure forms against public records revealed that over the last few years, some 33 members of Congress have directed more than $300 million to projects within two miles of, and sometimes right next to, their own property. Another 16 sent earmarks to companies or projects where their family members are employed. More»

Visclosky funnels $44M in earmarks to clients not even in his state

(NEWSER) - If you’ve got a tech company looking for a handout from the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, might we recommend calling Rep. Peter Visclosky? Or more accurately, call K&L Gates, a lobbying firm that boasts in its marketing documents, “a very good relationship” with Visclosky, the third-ranking member of the all-powerful subcommittee. In the past fiscal year, Visclosky has sponsored or supported $44 million in earmarks for more than 15 K&L Gates clients, the Washington Post reports. More»

(NEWSER) - Powerful special interests are killing health-care reform, which is par for the course in Congress, writes Joe Klein of Time. “We’ve gotten rusty at legislating,” says one Tennessee Democrat. That’s overly kind, Klein retorts. The only bills that pass these days are essentials like budgets and “cotton-candy giveaways.” The best of the health-care proposals, Ron Wyden’s, is doomed because no special interests are backing it. More»

Congress tries to tack on $1.75B for planes

(NEWSER) - Barack Obama has found himself in the odd position of threatening to veto his own defense spending bill, after senators tacked on a last-minute amendment to spend $1.75 billion on seven F-22 fighter jets, Fox News reports. The jets are outdated, costly to fly, require frequent maintenance, and have never been used in Iraq or Afghanistan. But senators from states with F-22 plants are fighting for them. More»