Apr 2, 2008 5:34 pm US/Eastern
Pa. Lawmakers In 'Pig Book,' But Not Worst Porkers
(KDKA)
The annual list of the biggest pork-barrel spending projects in Congress was released today.
It's called the 'Pig Book' and it's stuffed with pet products paid for with your tax dollars.
And while Pennsylvania projects and lawmakers do show up on this year's list, they're by no means the worst.
The 'Pig Book' portrays a Congress with an insatiable appetite for 'pork,' spending tax dollars on projects often to help them win votes or campaign contributions.
In all, Citizens Against Government Waste says Congress spent more than $17 billion on nearly 12,000 projects.
As a state, Pennsylvania ranks 35th on the list, with more than $332 million spent.
The largest single grant, $23 million, on the list went to the National Drug Intelligence Center in Johnstown, a pet project of Congressman John Murtha.
Because of that Congressman Murtha wins one of the organization's 'Oinker' designations given to individual lawmakers responsible for the most pork.
Also, on that list is West Virginia's Senator Robert Byrd, who gets the 'Pantheon of Pork' award for sponsoring a total of $386 million in pork barrel projects.
For more information visit
CAWG.org.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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