Since when did these Republicans get so hawkish about the debt and spending people’s money? I sat watching CNBC this morning as I was getting ready, and watched Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson (R-TX) go on and on about how we have to be careful about spending, that our spending may be wasteful, that she didn’t like the PORK that was in the stimulus bill, etc.
Reminds me of something… I go and search Thomas.LOC.gov and find the bill that was put forth to allow us to go 8.97 TRILLION dollars into debt. If you want, the link is here. When parusing the list of sponsors, lo and behold, under the YEA column is none other than Kay Bailey Hutchinson.
Hypocrisy, thy name is the honorable woman from Texas.
Votes the Party line and look at this PORK
A NOTE REGARDING THE LIST OF “EARMARK” REQUESTS:
The Constitution charges Congress with the responsibility of approving federal spending. The process of funding specific projects is commonly referred to as “earmarking.” Each year, Members of Congress have the opportunity to submit requests to the House Committee on Appropriations and its subcommittees (Committee) for funding of specific projects.
It is Congressman Walden’s policy to request funding on behalf of public (city, county and state government or divisions of each) and not-for-profit entities for specific public or not-for-profit projects based in Oregon. It is also his policy to make those requests public and transparent. Congressman Walden requires entities seeking funding to submit a detailed formal project request to his office, which he uses as the basis for his request to the Committee.
Along with making his own requests transparent via the list below, Congressman Walden has advocated making the overall process more transparent. For example, he supported the proposal to make public the earmarks in appropriations bills well in advance of votes on the measures and to disclose the name of the member requesting the funding.
The Committee makes the final decision on which specific projects receive federal investment. While considering which projects to fund, the Committee is constrained by a set budget cap. Generally, very few requests are actually funded. Projects that are funded often receive less than the amount requested.
As the representative for the people of Oregon’s Second Congressional District, Congressman Walden feels strongly that acting as their formal liaison to the Committee is an important responsibility. Without a request from a member of Congress, these Oregon projects would not receive consideration by the Committee, and what limited funding might be available would be allocated elsewhere in the country.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION REQUESTING ENTITY RECEIVING ENTITY REQUESTED
Agriculture
Burns, Oregon USDA-ARS Station Oregon Cattlemen’s Association USDA $3,034,300
Cooperative conservation activities High Desert Partnership in Harney County High Desert Partnership $250,000
Construction and renovation at the Deer Creek Center for Field Research and Education Southern Oregon University Southern Oregon University $600,000
Grass Seed Cropping Systems for sustainable agriculture Oregon State University Oregon State University $500,000
McKenzie Canyon Irrigation Pipeline Project Three Sisters Irrigation District Three Sisters Irrigation District $400,000
Northwest Center for Small Fruits Research Oregon State University and Small Fruit Grower Organizations Oregon State University and Small Fruit Grower Organizations $500,000
Northwest Multi-Commodity Marketing Special Research Grant Oregon State University Oregon State University $400,000
Northwest Potato Variety and Development Program Oregon Potato Commission OSU, WSU, and University of Idaho $600,000
Organic cropping research for the Northwest Oregon State University Oregon State University $800,000
Pendleton, Oregon USDA-ARS Station Oregon Wheat Growers League USDA $2,418,200
Regional Barley Genome Mapping Oregon State University Oregon State University $700,000
Research to prevent introduction and spread of Sudden Oak Death Oregon Association of Nurseries USDA-ARS Horticulture Lab, Corvallis $514,000
Solutions to Environmental and Economic Problems (STEEP) Oregon State University OSU, WSU, and University of Idaho $1,000,000
Commerce, Justice Science and Related Agencies
911/emegency dispatch center consolidation City of Medford City of Medford $2,500,000
Emergency operations center relocation Wasco County Sheriff’s Department Wasco County Sheriff’s Department $596,000
Multidisciplinary Institute for Neuropsychiatric Diagnosis Oregon Health and Science University Oregon Health and Science University $1,373,000
Research to reduce disease in juvenile salmon in Klamath River Oregon State University Oregon State University $1,500,000
Underage drinking education and statewide drug call center Oregon Partnership Oregon Partnership $775,000
Defense
Brain, biology, and machine applied research University of Oregon U.S. Army Medical Research and Material Command $4,000,000
Crisis services for returning soldiers Oregon Partnership Oregon Partnership $975,000
Miniature Tactical Energy systems development Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnology Institute U.S. Army $5,000,000
Nanoelectronics and Nanometrology Initiative Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnology Institute U.S. Navy $5,000,000
Northwest Manufacturing Initiative Manufacturing 21 Coalition (nonprofit coalition of over 80 businesses, labor, education, public agencies and training providers, as well as local workforce development boards) Portland State University, U of O, OIT, and Worksystems, Inc. (a non-profit workforce development board) $2,500,000
Safer Nanomaterials and Nanomanufacturing research Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnology Institute U.S. Air Force $5,000,000
Energy and Water
Celilo Village Redevelopment River Treaty Fishing Access Site Confederated Tribes of Warm Spring Indian Reservation, Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation U.S. Army Corps of Engineers $5,355,000
Columbia River Channel Deepening Columbia River Channel Coalition U.S. Army Corps of Engineers $36,000,000
Community-Based Renewable Energy Projects Mid-Columbia Council of Governments Mid-Columbia Council of Governments $792,000
Deschutes River Basin fish habitat restoration Deschutes Basin Board of Control (Intergovernmental unit of seven central Oregon irrigation districts) Deschutes Basin Board of Control $1,500,000
Geothermal Power Generation Plant Oregon Institute of Technology Oregon Institute of Technology $1,600,000
Milton-Freewater Emergency Levee Erosion Project Umatilla County U.S. Army Corps of Engineers $715,000
National Wave Energy Center Oregon State University Oregon State University $5,000,000
Phase III of the Swalley Irrigation District Canal Piping Project Swalley Irrigation District Swalley Irrigation District $1,000,000
Phase III of the Umatilla Basin Project Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation Bureau of Reclamation $250,000
Powder Basin Water and Stream Health Project Powder Basin Water and Stream Health Committee Baker County $300,000
Pressurization Project to deliver water to orchard lands and increase in-stream flows in Hood River Farmers Irrigation District in Hood River Farmers Irrigation District $6,000,000
Savage Rapids Dam Project Grants Pass Irrigation District Bureau of Reclamation $3,000,000
Walla Walla River Watershed project Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation U.S. Army Corps of Engineers $700,000
Wind Energy Workforce Training Nacelle Columbia Gorge Community College Columbia Gorge Community College $1,000,000
Financial Services
Phase II Integrative Science Complex University of Oregon University of Oregon $750,000
Interior, Enviornment and Related Agencies
Columbia Gorge Discovery Center Raptor Exhibit Columbia Gorge Discovery Center Columbia Gorge Discovery Center $550,000
Columbia River Gorge Economic Development Grant and Loan Revolving Fund Columbia River Gorge Commission Columbia River Gorge Commission $1,900,000
Columbia River Gorge Land Acquisitions to complete original agreements Columbia River Gorge Commission U.S. Forest Service $1,000,000
Cooperative conservation projects High Desert Partnership in Harney County High Desert Partnership $250,000
Crater Lake Visitor Education Center Crater Lake National Park Trust Crater Lake National Park $2,500,000
Hood River Waterfront Park City of Hood River/Waterfront Community Park Association (WCPA) City of Hood River/WCPA $1,800,000
Full implementation of the Steens Mountain Cooperative Management and Protection Act Bureau of Land Management Bureau of Land Management $5,000,000
Lower Columbia River Estuary Toxics Reduction Project Lower Columbia River Estuary Partnership National Estuary Program $3,200,000
Milton-Freewater Storm Water Treatment System Umatilla County Umatilla County $726,000
Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail Pacific Crest Trail Association U.S. Forest Service $2,000,000
Pendleton Round-Up and Happy Canyon Facilities Improvements Project Pendleton Round-Up Foundation Pendleton Round-Up Foundation $3,500,000
Pine Nursery Park Project – Phase I Bend Metro Park and Recreation District Bend Metro Park and Recreation District $7,835,000
The Dalles Riverfront Trail Northern Wasco County Park and Recreation District Northern Wasco County Park and Recreation District $880,000
Wallowa Mountain Institute Wallowa Resources Wallowa Resources $250,000
Watershed Research Cooperative College of Forestry at Oregon State University College of Forestry at Oregon State University $1,750,000
Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies
Cascade Locks Integrated Health Care Facility Hood River County Hood River County $563,000
Enhancement of the Oregon Veterans’ Home in The Dalles Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs $1,500,00
Statewide enrollment expansion and one-on-one reading support for K-3 students Start Making a Reader Today (SMART) SMART $900,000
Family Access Network (FAN) expansion Deschutes County Deschutes County $425,000
Health Informatics Simulation Lab Oregon Institute of Technology Oregon Institute of Technology $625,000
Immersive nanotechnology education outreach Oregon Museum of Science and Industry Oregon Museum of Science and Industry $500,000
Jefferson Public Radio Broadcast Center and Western States Museum of Broadcasting Jefferson Public Radio Foundation Jefferson Public Radio Foundation $600,000
Multiple Sclerosis Registry and Network Providence Multiple Sclerosis Center Providence Multiple Sclerosis Center $800,000
Oregon Center for Aging and Technology Oregon Health and Science University Oregon Health and Science University $800,000
Oregon Center for Translational Genomics Oregon Health and Science University Oregon Health and Science University $1,875,000
Renewable Energy Technology Training Program Columbia Gorge Community College Columbia Gorge Community College $1,800,000
Science education innovation programs Portland State University Portland State University $1,000,000
Technology integration at the Medford Higher Education Center Southern Oregon University/Rogue Community College Southern Oregon University $575,000
Therapeutic transitional research collaboration between Oregon public universities OSU, PSU, U of O, OHSU Oregon State University $4,000,000
Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies
Klamath Falls Armed Forces Reserve Center Oregon National Guard Oregon Military Department $15,168,000
The Dalles Readiness Center Oregon National Guard Oregon Military Department $12,725,000
Transportation, Housing and Urban Development
19th Street Extension Deschutes County Deschutes County $5,280,000
Completion of Bear Creek Greenway Trail City of Medford City of Medford $1,000,000
Construction of a multi-government center Umatilla County Umatilla County $2,000,000
Construction of a new river boat dock and Washington Street Freeway Under Crossing in The Dalles City of The Dalles City of The Dalles $4,000,000
Construction of winter water storage reservoir in Boardman Port of Morrow Port of Morrow $1,300,000
Eastern Oregon Regional University Center Learning Center City of Hermiston City of Hermiston $5,459,000
Fairgrounds exhibition center replacement Umatilla County Umatilla County $1,000,000
Jetty extension, Cascade Locks Waterfront Park Port of Cascade Locks / City of Cascade Locks Port of Cascade Locks $344,000
Oregon Electronic Medical Records Disaster Recovery Data Center Oregon Health and Science University Oregon Health and Science University $4,900,000
Passenger Transfer Station in South Gateway Area Rogue Valley Transportation District Rogue Valley Transportation District $921,000
Power Line Safety Projects on the Historic Columbia River Gorge Highway Port of Cascade Locks / City of Cascade Locks City of Cascade Locks $200,000
Purchase of facility for Central Oregon Intermodal Center City of Bend City of Bend $2,800,000
Railroad Rehabilitation Lake County Lake County $2,500,000
Realignment of highways US 26 and US 97 City of Madras City of Madras $9,000,000
Realignment of Intersection of Kirtland and Blackwell roads in Jackson County Oregon Department of Transportation Oregon Department of Transportation $1,000,000
Realignment of roadway in Deep Creek Canyon near Adel, Oregon Lake County Lake County $12,000,000
Realignment of the Brewery Grade and Highway 30 intersection City of The Dalles City of The Dalles $1,180,000
Realignment on Doherty Slide on Oregon Highway 140 Lake County Lake County $12,000,000
Replacement buses for fixed-route fleet Rogue Valley Transportation District Rogue Valley Transportation District $2,443,140
Replacement of county-owned vehicles with hybrid vehicles Umatilla County Umatilla County $280,000
Replacement vehicles for fixed route and paratransit buses City of Bend City of Bend $688,000
Restoration of Carnegie Library City of Medford City of Medford $1,000,000
Runway lengthening and elimination of line-of-sight hazards The Dalles Municipal Airport The Dalles Municipal Airport $4,000,000
Airport terminal improvements City of Redmond / Redmond Airport Redmond Airport $3,000,000
Study to prioritize transportation needs of the region Hood River County Hood River County $360,000
Truck Climbing Lane on I-84 north of Ontario Oregon Department of Transportation Oregon Department of Transportation $1,000,000