PUNXSUTAWNEY PHIL TO VISIT NATION'S CAPITOL,
DEFEND WEATHER MUSEUM AGAINST "PORK" CHARGES
Rep. Peterson Invites Citizens Against Government Waste, Taxpayers for Common Sense, Rep. Jeff Flake, Journalists and Public to Visit Punxsutawney Weather Discovery Center
Washington - Punxsutawney Phil, the world-famous weather-prognosticating groundhog, will travel to Washington, D.C. tomorrow - Tuesday, December 7th - to join U.S. Congressman John Peterson (R-PA/5), AccuWeather founder and CEO Barry Myers, and Punxsutawney Weather Discovery Center administrators at a press conference to defend a $100,000 grant which Peterson secured for the Discovery Center and to demonstrate the difference between "pork-barrel" spending and legitimate federal earmarks.
The Punxsutawney Weather Discovery Center has been listed among the top "pork" projects in the 2005 'Omnibus' Appropriations bill by Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW), Taxpayers for Common Sense, Congressman Jeff Flake (R-AZ), and numerous members of the national media. In response (and because neither CAGW, Taxpayers for Common Sense, or Rep. Flake bothered to seek an explanation of the project from the Discovery Center or Rep. Peterson before calling it "pork"), Punxsutawney Phil has woken up early from "hibernation" and will travel to the nation's Capitol on Tuesday to defend the Weather Discovery Center!
Also attending the press conference will be AccuWeather founder and CEO Barry Myers, who will discuss the significance of the Discovery Center and its collaborative work with AccuWeather; Weather Discovery Center administrators who will provide exhibits and explain the mission of the Center; and Congressman Peterson, who will invite CAGW, Taxpayers for Common Sense, Rep. Flake, news organizations, and members of the public to visit the Punxsutawney Weather Discovery Center, which is open by appointment only until the grand opening, which is scheduled for Groundhog Day, 2006.
"The Punxsutawney Weather Discovery Center is a unique museum that presents the history, science, technology and folklore of weather in an interactive setting that is not only educational for young people, but fun for the whole family," said Peterson. "This one-of-a-kind museum will help promote tourism in a beautiful, historic region of the country that has been struggling economically. To cry "pork" without knowing anything about the project only serves to undermine the credibility of otherwise reputable organizations, and I hope they will take time to visit Punxsutawney with their families and join the thousands of others who have experienced the unique Weather Discovery Center for themselves."
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