WETM-TV's
story about Randy Kuhl's earmark for Elmira College got me wondering just what criteria Citizens Against Government Waste used to call out appropriations as pork. According to
their site, the appropriation will end up in their "Pig Book" if it passes one or more of the following tests:
- Requested by only one chamber of Congress;
- Not specifically authorized;
- Not competitively awarded;
- Not requested by the President;
- Greatly exceeds the President’s budget request or the previous year’s funding;
- Not the subject of congressional hearings; or
- Serves only a local or special interest.
In other words, almost every earmark makes the Pig Book. On their
summary list [pdf], Randy Kuhl has $23.5 million of spend that qualifies, which ranks him 186th in Congress. Number One is now-Senator Roger Wicker (R-Miss), followed by Bill Young (R-FL-10) and John Murtha (D-PA-12).