Federal Budget Deal Is Overflowing With $12 Billion of Earmarks

Federal Budget Deal Is Overflowing With $12 Billion of Earmarks

• Why are federal taxpayers paying for upgrades at tiny rural airports, Thanksgiving Day parades, and enhancements for Alaskan king crabs?

"...In Washington, meanwhile, Feinstein is still wielding influence from beyond the grave. 

Her name is attached to 256 different earmarks included in the budget bill working its way through Congress this week...
And that only scratches the surface. 

The partial budget deal—which contains six of the 12 appropriations bills that make up the discretionary portion of the annual federal budget—is overflowing with earmarks to fund lawmakers' pet projects. 

All told, there are more than 6,000 earmarks in the bill, costing taxpayers more than $12.7 billion, according to Sen. Mike Lee (R–Utah), who has urged Republicans to vote against the package...