On the Blog: Earmark Politics and Earmark Transparency

We’ve been doing a lot of work on earmarks lately. We’ll have more to share in the near future. For now:

The politics of earmarking gets a look in: “Earmarkers Work to Penalize Earmark Opponents.”

And we highlight a failure of earmark transparency in: “I Want Your Money for the Virgin Islands—How Much is Not Your Business.”

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Featured Item

Congress remains in recess until November 15th while members and senators campaign for reelection.

The lone bill to get a cost estimate this week was S. 1684, the Managing Arson Through Criminal History (MATCH) Act of 2009. The bill would establish a national arsonist and bomber registry program.

(Our tongue-in-cheek blog post argued for its immediate passage based solely on its clever name.)

Passage of S. 1684 would cost about fifteen cents per U.S. family.

S. 1684
The Managing Arson Through Criminal History (MATCH) Act of 2009
Costs $0.15 per family

What People Think

The Managing Arson Through Criminal History (MATCH) Act of 2009 26% For, 74% Against Vote on this Bill

Displayed below are new, updated, and passed items with their cost or savings per family.

New Items

S. 1684
The Managing Arson Through Criminal History (MATCH) Act of 2009
Costs $0.15 per family

Updated Items

none

Passed Items

P.L. 111-260
The Equal Access to 21st Century Communications Act

P.L. 111-261
To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to lease certain lands in Virgin Islands National Park, and for other purposes

P.L. 111-262
The 5-Star Generals Commemorative Coin Act

P.L. 111-263
The Federal Supply Schedules Usage Act of 2009
Costs $0.12 per family

P.L. 111-264
The Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Reauthorization Act of 2010
Costs $2.00 per family

P.L. 111-265
A bill to make technical corrections in the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 and the amendments made by that Act

P.L. 111-266
The Security Cooperation Act of 2010

P.L. 111-267
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2010
Costs $549.32 per family

P.L. 111-268
The Combat Methamphetamine Enhancement Act of 2009
Costs $0.00 per family

P.L. 111-269
The Indian Veterans Housing Opportunity Act of 2009

P.L. 111-270
To provide for an extension of the legislative authority of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, Inc. to establish a Vietnam Veterans Memorial visitor center, and for other purposes
Costs $0.37 per family

P.L. 111-271
The Redundancy Elimination and Enhanced Performance for Preparedness Grants Act
Costs $0.00 per family

P.L. 111-272
The Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act Improvements Act of 2009

P.L. 111-273
The Secure and Responsible Drug Disposal Act of 2010
Costs $0.00 per family

P.L. 111-274
The Plain Language Act of 2009
Costs $1.15 per family

P.L. 111-275
The Veterans’ Insurance and Health Care Improvements Act of 2009
Costs $6.33 per family

P.L. 111-276
To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 4285 Payne Avenue in San Jose, California, as the “Anthony J. Cortese Post Office Building”

P.L. 111-277
To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 100 Orndorf Drive in Brighton, Michigan, as the “Joyce Rogers Post Office Building”

P.L. 111-278
To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 13301 Smith Road in Cleveland, Ohio, as the “David John Donafee Post Office Building”

P.L. 111-279
To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 3894 Crenshaw Boulevard in Los Angeles, California, as the “Tom Bradley Post Office Building”

P.L. 111-280
The WIPA and PABSS Extension Act of 2010