The House and Senate are moving toward a final deal on a monstrous bill to authorize four years of federal highway and transportation spending.
The Senate version of the bill authorizes $295 billion in spending, and the House version authorizes $284 billion.
President Bush, meanwhile, is threatening to veto any bill that comes in over the $284 billion approved by the House. But no matter how much spending is authorized in the final version of the bill, it is almost certain to retain the $11 billion in pork barrel projects earmarked for specific congressional districts in the House version.
Citizens Against Government Waste combed the House bill and discovered earmarks it contained for projects in the home districts of House leaders from both parties.
Human Events intern Mitch Evans has also found a remarkable $514.2 million in earmarks for Alaska, home state of House Transportation Chairman Don Young (R.).
Dennis Hastert, House Speaker
14th Congressional District, Illinois
| Project |
Cost |
| Widen U.S. Highway 30 from Rock Falls to Round Grove, Whiteside County. |
$500,000 |
| Widen U.S. Highway 30 in Whiteside County. |
$1,000,000 |
| St. Charles Road, the Village of Bellwood. |
$1,000,000 |
| Construction of highway approaches to the Sullivan Road Bridge in Aurora. |
$1,600,000 |
| Construction of a bridge at Stearns Road in Kane County. |
$2,000,000 |
| Elgin to Rockford—Intermodal stations along planned Metro Union Pacific West Line. |
$3,000,000 |
| Development of a coordinated trail system and parking in Dixon. |
$3,200,000 |
| Widen Annie Glidden Road to five lanes with intersection improvements, Dekalb. |
$4,000,000 |
| Intermodal parking structures, St. Charles |
$4,500,000 |
| TOTAL |
$20,800,000 |
Tom DeLay, House Majority Leader
22nd Congressional District, Texas
| Project | Cost |
| Replace railroad drawbridge in Galveston. |
$500,000 |
| Construct bus transit corridor West Houston and Fort Bend County. |
$1,000,000 |
| Intermodal center and packing facility, The Strand, Galveston. |
$4,500,000 |
| TOTAL |
$6,000,000 |
Jerry Lewis, House Appropriations Chairman
41st Congressional District, California
| Project |
Cost |
| Implement Santa Fe Depot improvements in San Bernardino. |
$500,000 |
| Construction of Lenwood Road grade separation in Barstow. |
$1,500,000 |
| Construct grade separation on State Street and Cajon Boulevard in San Bernardino. |
$2,000,000 |
| Road and infrastructure improvements in Desert Hot Springs. |
$2,000,000 |
| Grade separation for Sunset Avenue and the Union Pacific Railroad in Banning. |
$2,000,000 |
| Improvements to County Line Road in Calimesa. |
$2,000,000 |
| Improvements to Portrero Road interchange with Highway 60 in Beaumont. |
$2,000,000 |
| Development of a regional transit center at El Garces Depot in Needles. |
$2,000,000 |
| Realignment of state Route 79 in San Jacinto. |
$3,000,000 |
| Construction along state Route 62 in Yucca Valley. |
$3,000,000 |
| Install new grade separation at Ranchero Road in Hisperia. |
$5,000,000 |
| Construction of a new interchange with state Route 18 and Interstate 15 in Victor Valley. |
$5,000,000 |
| TOTAL |
$30,000,000 |
Don Young, Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman
At-Large Congressional District, Alaska
| Project |
Cost |
| Improvements to Keystone Drive Road. |
$1,000,000 |
| Citywide pavement rehabilitation in city of North Pole. |
$1,000,000 |
| Bridge over Fish Creek in Matanuska-Susitna Borough. |
$1,000,000 |
| Point MacKenzie in Matanuska-Susitna Borough plan and design road access. |
$1,000,000 |
| Construct linking road from airport to port in Akutan. |
$1,500,000 |
| Improvements to Indian River Road in city and borough of Sitka. |
$2,000,000 |
| Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center Intermodal parking facility, Fairbanks. |
$2,500,000 |
| False Pass Road construction from small boat harbor dock to airport and town. |
$3,000,000 |
| Emergency evacuation road at Point Hope in North Slope Borough. |
$3,000,000 |
| Ferry infrastructure at Seward Marine Center. |
$3,000,000 |
| Construction of and improvements to roads at Alaska Pacific University. |
$3,000,000 |
| Access road, bridge crossing the Naknek River on South Naknek-King Salmon Highway. |
$3,000,000 |
| CITC Non-profit Services Center Intermodal parking facility, Anchorage. |
$3,000,000 |
| Ferry terminal or IFA vessel debt repayment for MV Prince of Wales Ferry. |
$3,200,000 |
| Bogard/Sheldon Extension in Matanuska-Susitna Borough. |
$4,000,000 |
| Completion of Shotgun Cove Road, from Whittier to the area of Decision Point. |
$4,000,000 |
| Completion of Shotgun Cove Road, from Whittier to the area of Decision Point. |
$5,000,000 |
| Realign rail track to eliminate highway-rail crossings. |
$5,000,000 |
| Road improvements in the city of Fairbanks. |
$5,000,000 |
| Road…#145; improvements, upgrades to service road areas, misc. projects, Northstar Borough. |
$5,000,000 |
| Wideband multimedia mobile emergency communications pilot project, Wasilla. |
$5,000,000 |
| C Street expanded bus facility and intermodal parking garage, Anchorage. |
$5,000,000 |
| Planning, design and environmental study of Bradfield Canal Road. |
$7,000,000 |
| Construction of AMHW ferry terminal in Unalaska. |
$7,500,000 |
| Construction of AMHW ferry terminal in Kodiak. |
$7,500,000 |
| Anchorage traffic congestion relief. |
$10,000,000 |
| Planning, design, and construction of access roads in Juneau, Alaska. |
$15,000,000 |
| Improve marine intermodal facilities in Ketchikan. |
$25,000,000 |
| Earthwork and roadway construction Gravina access project. |
$48,000,000 |
| Design and construction of a bridge joining the island of Gravina to Ketchikan. |
$125,000,000 |
| Planning, design and construction of Knik Arm Bridge. |
$200,000,000 |
| TOTAL |
$514,200,000 |
Nancy Pelosi, House Minority Leader
8th Congressional District, California
| Project |
Cost |
| Construct Route 101 bicycle/pedestrian overpass for San Francisco Bay Trail. |
$1,000,000 |
| Car…#145;sharing program for low- and moderate-income neighborhoods, San Francisco. |
$2,000,000 |
| Implement ITS on Muni Transit System, San Francisco. |
$3,000,000 |
| Redesign and renovate intermodal facility at Glen Park Community, San Francisco. |
$3,300,000 |
| Construction of ferry terminal at Oyster Point in South San Francisco. |
$5,000,000 |
| Construct San Francisco Muni Islais Creek Maintenance Facility. |
$6,000,000 |
| Implement San Francisco street improvements program |
$8,000,000 |
| Implement Transbay Terminal-Caltrain Downtown Extension project. |
$14,000,000 |
| TOTAL |
$42,300,000 |
Steny Hoyer, House Minority Whip
5th Congressional District, Maryland
| Project |
Cost |
| Construct South Shore Trail, Anne Arundel County. |
$1,000,000 |
| South Shore Trail from Route 3 at Millersville Road to I-97 at Waterbury Road. |
$1,000,000 |
| Upgrade MD 175 between MD 170 and the Baltimore-Washington Parkway. |
$1,000,000 |
| Construct Broadneck Peninsula Trail, Anne Arundel County |
$1,500,000 |
| TOTAL |
$4,500,000 |
