Shelby, Bonner Criticized For Spending Bill Earmarks

Alabama Senate Tax watchdog group say Senator Richard Shelby and Rep. Jo Bonner among the biggest spenders in earmarking federal dollars for special projects.

by Amy Dominell/Media General News Service

Published: Tue, March 10, 2009 - 5:21 pm CST Last Updated: Tue, March 10, 2009 - 5:30 pm CST

BY AMY DOMINELLO
Media General News Service

WASHINGTON -- The Senate approved tens of millions of dollars for Alabama projects Tuesday, including research at Auburn University and the Interstate 10 connector in Dothan, as part of catch-all spending bill.
The $410 billion omnibus spending package would pay for government operations through September.

Critics have lashed out at the bill's huge price tag, zeroing in on at least $7.7 billion in more than 8,500 "member items" - or "earmarks" requested by lawmakers.

Taxpayers for Common Sense, a government watchdog group, studied the bill's more than 1,000 pages and reported that Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., is the ninth largest earmarker in the Senate.

According to the group, Shelby inserted 64 earmarks worth $114.5 million for Alabama projects. In all, though, Shelby's name was attached to 125 earmarks totaling $219.4 million in spending for projects in Alabama.

Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., also inserted earmarks, but at a much lower level. Sessions inserted 12 earmarks worth $4.3 million in Alabama. He did, however, attach his name to 31 earmarks worth $89.9 million in funding for Alabama.

The largest earmark in the omnibus bill for Alabama is $30 million for the University of Alabama for a project described as "an interdisciplinary science and engineering teaching and research corridor," according to a database by the taxpayers group. Another $25 million has been earmarked for the Tuscaloosa Federal Building. Shelby was the sole supporter of both.

Steve Ellis, vice president of the taxpayers group, said that Shelby, as a senior member of the powerful Appropriations committee and the top Republican on one of its subcommittees, was well placed to steer dollars toward Alabama.

"That puts him in a perfect position to bring home the bacon particularly NASA-related earmarks to Huntsville and other parts of the state," Ellis said.

Shelby, in a written statement, defended his earmarks that were funded and said that members of Congress are well-equipped to make decisions regarding their constituents' needs.

"I believe the people of Alabama elected me to represent their interests in Washington and I am willing to defend any funding or project I have secured for Alabama," Shelby said. "I firmly believe that elected officials, not bureaucrats, should be stewards of taxpayer dollars."

Critics complain earmarked projects are not decided by relative merit, and often are accompanied by campaign contributions from beneficiaries or their lobbyists.

Among House members, Rep. Jo Bonner, R-Mobile, was ranked by the taxpayers group as the 14th largest earmarker among the House's 435 members
Bonner had seven earmarks in the spending bill totaling $23.5 million. Most of it -- $20 million -- would go to Mobile Harbor. In all, Bonner joined with other members of Congress to support 19 earmarks for projects and programs totaling $66 million.

Bonner, in a written statement, defended the earmarked funds.

"I continue to believe I have a better feel for the needs of my district than some faceless bureaucrat in Washington," he said. "The projects I requested in this bill were carefully screened, fully exposed to the light of day and will help our region continue to succeed."

He also criticized his ranking as a large earmarking by Taxpayers for Common Sense as "misleading" and should include the earmarks in funding bills passed last year.

Approved by the House in February, the sprawling omnibus spending measure combines nine budget bills into one. It is necessary because Congress failed to finish work last year funding federal agencies. The bill does not include $638 billion in funding and earmarks for defense, homeland security, military construction and veterans affairs. Funding - and $6.6 billion in earmarks - for those programs passed last year.
"Developing a ranking list without accounting for the bulk of the fiscal year funding simply does not paint an accurate picture," Bonner said.

Ellis said members of Congress who earmark are making the assumption that other areas of the country need the money less than Alabama.

"They're essentially substituting their judgment for rational, merit-based thinking on what should be funded," he said. "... The powerful get the most money and then it trickles down."

President Barack Obama had promised during his campaign to work to limit such "member items." But Ellis said Obama hasn't used the "bully pulpit" as of the presidency to do so in this bill.
White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Tuesday that Obama would change the "rules" regarding such spending in future bills. He emphasized that this spending bill is "last year's business."
Media General News Service reporter Billy House contributed to this report.

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