Topic: Citizens Against Government Waste

State Department spends $70,000 on Obama's books – and stirs a controversy

The US State Department calls the purchase of Obama's books "standard practice," but critics call it "inappropriate."

With big spending bill's demise, is 'earmark' new dirty word on Hill?

Deficit hawks and watchdog groups see Thursday's demise of an omnibus spending bill in the Senate as a turning point. A critical mass of lawmakers, they say, are committed to an earmark ban.

Will Harry Reid keep the Senate in session through Christmas?

Senate majority leader Harry Reid wants to take up a slew of important issues after the tax deal is passed – from a $1.2 trillion budget bill to a repeal of 'don't ask, don't tell.'

How earmark ban is already changing Capitol Hill

In many ways, the Republicans' voluntary two-year earmark ban is limited in scope. But it's already undermining Congress's spending 'cardinals' and changing how lobbyists lobby Capitol Hill.

Earmarks will be hard for Senate Democrats to maintain, considering GOP opposition

Earmarks have been abandoned by most congressional Republicans, pushed by results from the midterm elections. Senate Democrats will have a difficult time supporting earmarks, both now in the lame duck session and next year.

Earmark ban: Common sense budget reform or 'tremendous step backwards'?

Senate Republicans decide to swear off earmarks. Now, they will try to persuade the Democrats to do the same. But many Democrats – and some Republicans, too – are wary.

How tea party senators stared down Mitch McConnell on earmark ban

Pressure from tea party-backed Republican freshmen senators led Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell to reverse course: He said Monday he would back an earmark ban.

'Pork barrel' spending: A big liability for lawmakers in 2010 election?

With the federal deficit at $1.5 trillion, some voters are balking at politicians who tout a record of securing ‘pork barrel’ projects.

5 famous pork projects: Beer museum and more

Coined from an 1863 story called “The Children of the Public,” pork-barrel spending referred to any public funds spent to benefit the public. Over time, the term has evolved, referring to projects seen as wasteful, or that may only benefit a small group but the costs are spread out between all taxpayers. Of course, often, one politician's pork is another politician's legitimate expense.

The Citizens Against Government Waste puts out an annual "Congressional Pig Book" that listed 9,129 projects at a cost of $16.5 billion in 2010..

Here a selection of US "pork" projects from recent years:

Ted Stevens plane crash: how 'Uncle Ted' reshaped Alaska

He delivered billions of dollars in aid to his home state. The Ted Stevens plane crash occurred in Alaska, a state that is no stranger to aviation accidents.

Maxine Waters: charges highlight mixed ethics record

California Rep. Maxine Waters, a powerful 'liberal institution' in Congress, has raised ethics eyebrows in the past.

Sen. Robert Byrd: King of pork or larger-than-life hero?

Sen. Robert Byrd, the longest serving U.S. senator in history, changed West Virginia forever. Robert Byrd was named 'West Virginian of the 20th century.'

Pressure building to cut US deficit

The public pressure for reducing the country's ballooning deficit is rising, but will policy makers listen?

'Charlie Wilson's War' would be harder to fight these days

Rep. Charlie Wilson, the east Texas Democrat who died this week, directed millions of dollars in covert funding to help mujahedeen fighters oust Soviet troops from Afghanistan in the 1980s. But efforts at government transparency in budgeting would make that more difficult today.

Healthcare reform backlash: Americans angry over earmarks

Healthcare reform legislation often means cutting 'deals,' but public anger over earmarks may further gridlock healthcare reform.

Healthcare's dealbreakers: Mary Landrieu likes her $300 million

Sen. Mary Landrieu says she won $300 million in aid for Louisiana for voting 'yes' in a key healthcare reform vote Saturday. But she has misgivings about the public option, which means the deals might not be done yet.

Robert Byrd, longest-serving Congress member, a master historian

First elected to Congress in 1952, Sen. Robert Byrd has an encyclopedic knowledge of Senate rules and legislative history dating back to Roman times. On Wednesday, he became the longest-serving member of Congress.

What did GOP's bid to oust Charles Rangel accomplish?

The attempt to remove Charles Rangel from his seat as chairman of an influential House committee keeps allegations of bribery in the public eye.

Obama's budget whacks 121 programs

In a $3.5 trillion spending plan released Thursday, the White House proposes $17 billion in cuts – including some items that President Bush also tried to ax.

'Pig Book': Congressional 'pork' hits $19.6 billion in 2009

Citizens Against Government Waste released its annual report on 'pork barrel' projects Tuesday.

Pesky earmarks still in eye of budget storm

‘Member projects’ are a tiny part of the federal budget, but they’re a problem for Obama.

Despite earmark reforms, 'pork' spending rises

The 2008 'Pig Book' says Congress spent $17.2 billion on pet projects in fiscal '08. But now it's easier to tell who did it.