CAGW Announces Best of ‘The Pig Book’

CAGW Announces Best of ‘The Pig Book’

3/16/2005 4:08:00 PM

To: National Desk

Contact: Tom Finnigan or Lauren Cook, 202-467-5300, both of Citizens Against Government Waste, Web: http://www.cagw.org

WASHINGTON, March 16 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) today announced the publication of “The Pig Book: How Government Wastes Your Money,” a compilation of the worst pork-barrel projects exposed by CAGW over the past 14 years. From 1991 to 2004, the annual Congressional Pig Book identified 52,461 egregious projects approved by Congress, costing taxpayers more than $185 billion. The Pig Book's historical snapshot sets the stage for the “2005 Congressional Pig Book,” to be released at a press conference on April 6.

“The Pig Book: How Government Wastes Your Money,” published by Thomas Dunne Books/St. Martin's Griffin, is available now for $12.95 at major bookstores, smaller shops, and at http://www.cagw.org.

In his foreword to the book, long-time CAGW friend and pork-barrel foe Sen. John McCain writes, "In 1994 there were 1,318 pork-barrel projects; in fiscal year 2005 there are an estimated 13,000 pork-barrel projects, an increase of 886 percent. Where are our priorities? And for what? So that members of the House and Senate can go home in an election year and brag about a peanut festival in Alabama or an indoor rain forest in Iowa."

Some of the more shocking pork projects of the last 14 years include:

-- $102 million to study screwworms, which were long ago eradicated from American soil

-- $50 million for an indoor rain forest in Iowa

-- $2.2 million to renovate the North Pole (lucky for Santa)

-- $1 million for ornamental fish research

-- $273,000 to combat goth culture in Missouri

-- $50,000 for a tattoo-removal program in California

The Pig Book details the juicy tidbits surrounding the worst examples of headline-grabbing pork: how the projects got funding; who was responsible; and who benefited. While some projects were defunded after embarrassing media attention, many of the projects are still eating away at workers' hard-earned tax dollars. The Pig Book shows that pet projects rarely accomplish the lofty goals set by members of Congress to defend them. Whether meant for economic revival in the North Pole or groundbreaking research on screwworms, pork rarely leaves a lasting impression -– except on the $7.7 trillion national debt.

"I believe that this book should be read by every citizen in America," surmised McCain. "What's being done here by CAGW, in my view, is of the greatest importance."

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Citizens Against Government Waste is the nation's largest nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in government.

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