CAGW: Senator Tom Harkin is Porker of the Month for April '03

4/9/2003

From: Mark Carpenter or Jonathan Trager, 202-467-5300, both of Citizens Against Government Waste Web: http://http://www.cagw.org WASHINGTON, April 9 -- Following is a statement from Citizens Against Government Waste: Citizens Against Government Waste today named Senator Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) as its April 2003 Porker of the Month for strapping on the feedbag and earmarking emergency wartime funds to pay for an agricultural facility in his home state. The stated purpose of President Bush's request for supplemental war funding was to support the Department of Defense operations in Iraq and the Department of Homeland Security. More specifically, "to provide our troops with the resources necessary to fight and win the war in Iraq, to respond to increased homeland security needs, and to strengthen the capabilities of our allies." So how is it that the Ames, Iowa agricultural research station received a $98 million earmark in the supplemental war budget? According to Senator Harkin, these funds are crucial in order to combat bioterrorism in the form of animal diseases. He further went on to claim that the lab in Ames will be "one of the key elements in our national effort in the war on bioterrorism." That's a bit of a stretch, Senator, and a disgrace as well. At a time of war, the nation looks to elected officials to set an example of leadership and an unwavering commitment to our men and women risking their lives overseas. Every dollar spent on pork barrel projects is a dollar that does not go to protect the nation and support our troops. Now is not the time to squander precious resources on pork projects, particularly when the Ames facility received a $33 million earmark less than eight weeks ago in the fiscal 2003 Omnibus Appropriations Act. Senator Harkin also secured a $50 million earmark for this project in last year's supplemental appropriations bill, which was also intended to help fight the war on terrorism. Demonstrating the lack of need for more money, there was no request for any funds for this facility in the President's fiscal 2004 budget. Enough is enough. The wartime supplemental should not be loaded up with unrelated funding and extraneous items. It should only fund those needs directly arising from the Iraqi conflict and the global war against terror. Since September 11, the Congress's profligate spending habits have been more shameful than ever. Now, it's time to support the troops and give the American taxpayer a break. For placing parochial pork-barrel projects above the protection of the nation, Sen. Tom Harkin is April's Porker of the Month. Citizens Against Government Waste is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, mismanagement and abuse in government.