Senate Adds Even More Pork To "Economic Stimulus" Generational Theft Act. Honeybee Flood Insurance, ATV Trails, STD Prevention and Fish Barriers

SOURCE:
In Addition To Earmarks In House Bill, Senate Bill Includes Millions For Projects From Fish Barriers To ATV Trails To Honey Bee Insurance

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: “We Will Ban All Earmarks In The Recovery Package.” (Barack Obama, Press Conference, 1/6/09)

• $20 million “for the removal of small- to medium-sized fish passage barriers.” (Pg. 45 of Senate Appropriations Committee report: “20,000,000 for the removal of small- to medium-sized fish passage barriers)

• $400 million for STD prevention (Pg. 60 of Senate Appropriations Committee report: “CDC estimates that a proximately 19 million new STD infections occur annually in the United States …The Committee has included $400,000,000 for testing and prevention of these conditions.”)

• $25 million to rehabilitate off-roading (ATV) trails (Pg. 45 of Senate Appropriations Committee report: “$25,000,000 is for recreation maintenance, especially for rehabilitation of off-road vehicle routes, and $20,000,000 is for trail maintenance and restoration”)

• $34 million to remodel the Department of Commerce HQ (Pg. 15 of Senate Appropriations Committee report: $34,000,000 for the Department of Commerce renovation and modernization”)

• $70 million to “Support Supercomputing Activities” for climate research (Pgs. 14-15 of Senate Appropriations Committee Report: $70,000,000 is directed to specifically support supercomputing activities, especially as they relate to climate research)

• $150 million for honey bee insurance (Pg. 102 of Senate Appropriations Committee report: “The Secretary shall use up to $ 50,000,000 per year, and $150,000,000 in the case of 2009, from the Trust Fund to provide emergency relief to eligible producers of livestock, honey bees, and farm-raised fish to aid in the reduction of losses due to disease, adverse weather, or other conditions, such as blizzards and wildfires, as determined by the Secretary”)

What the hell is a "fish barrier"? Protecting bees from disease? Remodeling the Commerce Department? Can we wait until we actually have a Commerce Secretary? ATV Trails? Are you kidding me?

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Generational Theft Act: At least the Oklahoma Senators looking out for the folks!

U.S. Sens. Jim Inhofe and Tom Coburn weighed in Thursday against a massive package of spending and tax cuts designed to stimulate the economy.

Joining a group of fellow Republican senators, the two Oklahomans questioned whether many of the areas funded in the $800 billion-plus measure would actually end up providing a much-needed economic boost.

"We know what works," Inhofe said, citing previous packages that succeeded.

He repeated his previous comments of disappointment that spending on infrastructure projects such as highways is not a bigger percentage of the bill. Citing the package's historic price tag, Inhofe said that each of the 3 million to 4 million jobs expected to be created would cost about $295,000. Coburn also said spending on certain areas would help but predicted 80 percent of the money in the bill would not stimulate the economy.

"This is about spending money we don't have for things we don't need," he said.

Coburn said cities across Oklahoma have prepared their own lists of projects they hope to get funded.

"Everybody wants their share," he said. Future generations will be denied wealth, Coburn said, if the bill passes. "This bill is a generational theft bill," he said.

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It is widely speculated that some key Republican Senators will support the stimulus. Please contact them and ask them to support their fellow conservatives.

Sen. Susan Collins (202) 224-2523
Sen. Olympia Snowe (202) 224-5344
Sen. Arlen Specter (202) 224-4254


View the full Senate Contact List here. They serve us!

Stop The Stimulus!