Congress at Work
Pork Barrels and Earmarks
► Objectives:
to develop an understanding of
Pork Barrels and Earmarks
► Question: when does the V.P. get to vote in
the Senate?
Who is this?
I’m so confused! If
the opposite of “pro”
is “con,” does that
mean that the
opposite of progress
is Congress?
Types of bills
► Private
bills – deal with individual people or
places
► Public bills – deal with general matters and
apply to the entire nation
 Vast majority of bills
 More controversial because they affect
everyone
Resolutions
► Used
to make policy on an unusual or temporary
matter
► Simple resolution-covers matters affecting only on
house of Congress and passed by that house
alone (rules, procedures, internal matters)
► Joint resolution – Passed in same form by both
houses; if signed by Pres., has force of law; used
to correct error in earlier law or appropriate
money for specific purpose
► Concurrent resolution – requires action by both
houses, but not law related and has no force of
law with Pres. signature
Congressional Earmarks
Should We Bring Home the Bacon?
Who Likes Bacon?





Who likes bacon?
Is bacon always good for you?
What are some alternatives for bacon?
What would happen if you ate bacon all day, everyday?
What recommendations would you make to people who
are considering adding bacon to their diets?
Pork Barrel Spending
 Earmark-
a congressional provision that
directs sets aside funds to be spent on specific
projects within a member’s district.
•From hog slaughtering houses.
•Distinguishes the pigs selected for
specific purposes.
•Is a notch in the pigs ear.
Pork BarrelSpending cont.

Pork Barrel- legislation that allows
representatives to bring home the bacon to their
districts in the form of public works programs,
military bases, or other programs designed to
directly benefit their districts.
•From early American history
•Slaves were given a barrel of salt pork as
a reward
•Slaves competed amongst themselves for
the handout
Pork Barrel Spending
The “Prince of Pork”

Due to his position on the
Senate Appropriations
Committee and his
leadership as President
Pro Tempore of the
Senate, Robert Byrd (DWV) is known as the
“Prince of Pork” for his
ability to bring home the
bacon in the form of
public works projects to
West Virginia.
Bringing Home the Bacon?

Who is the pig? Why is he
happy?
 What does the pot-o-gold
represent?
 Why is the
leprechaungressman
lucky?
 What is the artist saying
about congressional
spending? How do you
know?
 Should congressman bring
home the bacon?
In fiscal year 2008, there
were 11,524 earmarks
totaling $16,501,833,000
for appropriations
accounts.
Riders
► Riders
– attached to bills and have nothing
to do with subject of bill, added to bills that
are likely to pass (“like a Christmas tree
loaded with ornaments”
Discretionary v. Non-discretionary
spending
► More
than 70% of appropriations each year
is mandated by earlier laws, not new ones
 Current Congress has no discretion on how
much money is appropriated in these cases;
only way to change is to pass new laws to
change old ones
 Many of these are called entitlements – social
welfare programs that entitle individuals to
certain benefits (ex. Social Security, Medicare)
Biggest Pork Projects?
► The
“Bridge to Nowhere” (Alaska)
 $396 M to connect 50 residents to mainland
 $7.9 M per person
 funding later repealed; bridge never built
► The
“Big Dig” (Boston, Mass.)
 $14.6 B for 3.5 miles of tunnel
 $1 M per foot
 most costly construction project in history
► $107,000
to study the sex life of the
Japanese quail.
► $1.2 million to study the breeding habits of
the woodchuck.
► $150,000 to study the Hatfield-McCoy feud.
► $84,000 to find out why people fall in love.
► $1 million to study why people don't ride
bikes to work.
► $19
million to examine gas emissions from
cow flatulence.
► $144,000 to see if pigeons follow human
economic laws.
► Funds to study the cause of rudeness on
tennis courts and examine smiling patterns
in bowling alleys.
► $219,000 to teach college students how to
watch television.
► $2 million to construct an ancient Hawaiian
canoe.
► $160,000
to study if you can hex an
opponent by drawing an X on his chest.
► $800,000 for a restroom on Mt. McKinley.
► $100,000 to study how to avoid falling
spacecraft.
► $16,000 to study the operation of the
komungo, a Korean stringed instrument.
► $1 million to preserve a sewer in Trenton,
NJ, as a historic monument.
► $6,000 for a document on Worcestershire
sauce.
Pork barrel and logrolling
► Logrolling
– when two or more lawmakers
agree to support each other’s bills in
exchange for votes
Final 5
► Explain
what an earmark is, and give an
example.
December 11, 2012
No First 5
► Objectives: To take part in Mock Congress
► Move into the House and Senate
► Speaker of the House will determine which committees go
in what order
► V.P. and Pres. Pro Tempore will determine in the Senate
► Bills that pass go to the opposite chamber for debate
and/or passage
► You get points for contribution- make sure that you are
asking questions like how much it costs? When will it be
finished/how long is it for? Where will the money come
from to pay for it? Who does it affect? Etc…
►
Today’s exit
► What
did you learn today from Congress?
► How important is it to have clear
information in the bill? Why?
► What bill was written the most thorough
today?
December 12, 2012
Objectives: To take part in Mock Congress
► Move into the House and Senate
► Finish passing bills/Bills that pass go to the
opposite chamber for debate and/or
passage- then to me.
► You get points for contribution- make sure
that you are asking questions like how much
it costs? When will it be finished/how long is
it for? Where will the money come from to
pay for it? Who does it affect? Etc…
►